One of the things that both amazes and embarrasses me about humanity in genereal is that we somehow think we are at the apex of evolution.  I have never been able to understand why evolution is discussed in the past tense, but it seems to be because humans write the books.  As is typical of our wonderful species, we seem to collectively (and individually, but that's another story) think that we are the best there is and there will never be anything better.

No science is complete. Until the stars fall from the skies, and the land is nothing but a dead and airless void, not even buffeted by the gift of a breeze, evolution will be a work in progress. By definition, it must be. Humanity, as well, is a constantly evolving creature; while our physical attributes are relatively constant, we are mentally changing at astonsihing rates.

It is a question of compassion whether medical science is a hindrance or a help in human evolution. We live longer and healthier, but does that improve the evolution of the species, or hamper it by disallowing mutation, possibly even speciation? Do we increase longevity at the cost of a slower development of the species? Is the inter-racial mixing of races an evolutionary development, perhaps a gene-level response to global conditions, such as these.

Let me ask you. During the course of your day, have you learned any new fact? Has a piece of knowledge that you never knew before been lodged into your memory for future use? Think of that as evolution in action. Every single piece of trivia your mind absorbs changes your perception of the world you live in, and by that change, creates changes in your behavior of which you may not even be aware.

Evolution does not necessarily mean that extreme changes take place. By reference, let's look at mussels in western florida. There is current debate over whether reducing the flow of water from Lake Lanier in northern Georgia will kill three protected species of mussel in the three rivers region. There is a troubling use of dislogic in this debate.

The mussels have been in this area for hundreds, probably thousands, of years. Long before Buford Dam, or any of the other dams the Chattahoochee flows past, these mussels were dinner for native Americans. But what really got me on the whole argument was when a researcher said, in an article I read recently something to the effect of "There could be some mussels in the deep parts. Until Recently, we never thought to check." Golly, Goober, how long did you attend a university for this?

So there we have it: Mentally challenged mussels which can't figure out which way is down (Hint, you dumb mussel, it is where your 'foot' is), and are unable to slide down the hill to find it, plus some guys that think maybe the mussel might live somewhere besides right on the very top edge of the shoreline-- but never thought of that before.

Get with the program.

Why isn't Goober studying HOW these mussels adapt to the changing shoreline? Because humans think evolution is complete. Somehow, we as a collective have gotten it into our thick skulls that the way things are is the way things will forever be. Never mind that we have axioms stating such obvious facts as "everything changes".

I don't know anything about mussels except that they can be skipped across the water in places where there are no stones to skip. BUT-- I know that those mussels are doing all sorts of things, like checking the water depth, eating, making babies, and MOVING AROUND. Are a lot of them dying? Sure. Water levels are dropping, and clusters of shellfish are becoming concentrated. Mussels are going to die in literally uncountable numbers as the water level falls, but the level isn't likely to fall below the ORIGINAL WATER LEVEL for years.

Oh, and another thing: evolution means that extinctions happen. As climate, terrain, habitat, everythingintheentireworld CHANGES, some species of animal, plant, fish, and shellfish are going to be replaced, or defeated in the evolutionary race. THINK OF IT AS EVOLUTION IN ACTION. And here again rises humanity's ugly head of meddling. Do we try to save the species, not knowing whether its demise has been approaching for longer than humans have inhabited the continent, or do we allow it to perish, and fret over whether we are guilty of its death? It is not only possible, but inescapable that no matter how much we interfere, there will be many species that we cannot prevent from extinction. I understand that Giant Pandas are almost incapable of reproducing. We didn't make them that way. They have outlived the niche of evolution that they once filled.

So now let's look at those mussels again. But replace each mussel with a person. Our pond is shrinking faster than it ever has for as long as racial memory can be traced. Do we really think that people won't be able to figure out which way is DOWNSLOPE? Is some galactic Goober going to come along and think 'golly, I never thought to look there'? I dunno. Doesn't matter. I know only a little more about people than I do about mussels. But I know this:

As the pond shrinks, the population contracts. It doesn't give up and bake in the sun. The extremes of the population will die. Uncounted shells will litter the banks, and predators and scavengers alike will grow fat on the struggles of those who simply don't stand a chance. At some distant point in the future, marked in months or years or eons, the pond level will stabilize, and clusters will form again along the shores, once more secure that enough is available for all who remain to flourish once again.
THINK OF IT AS EVOLUTION IN ACTION.

We are animals. No matter the clothes we put upon our backs, the words we put on pages that can't survive a million years, the factories we build, the temples we raze, the civilizations we spawn, we are still a type of mammal known as a primate. We disguise and discuss our humanity as though it can be separate from our animality. We refute the laws of nature by establishing, somehow, that we are above the dictates of evolution, and of instinct.

If I were forced to make a guess, I would say this pompousness is detrimental to our existence. If we refuse to live by the laws of nature, then we create our own end, by becoming nothing but a stagnant creature so deeply rutted in its current state that it is unable to remember how to slide DOWNSLOPE.

THINK OF IT AS EVOLUTION IN ACTION. Not a thousand years ago, not a million years ago, but first thing tomorrow morning, right in your own backyard. We can't think of ourselves as individuals, but as pieces in a greater, grander puzzle. Rather than being the end-product of evolution, we are merely minute pieces on the face of the constantly evolving animal we call a planet. Our existence on this planet requires that we facillitate in the planet's evolution.

THINK OF IT AS EVOLUTION IN ACTION.