On Tuesday in the Polytechnic Museum Professor of the American Institute for psychiatric and behavioral genetics Michael Reimers gave a public lecture "Latest evolutionary change in the human genome".

The Professor began right off the bat, recognizing that in the scientific world is still no consensus about the evolution of man. Some researchers believe that at the moment, the evolution of man has slowed (genetic changes); others, however, believe that began to accelerate, and ten times.

Two "the most recent" gene mutations mass character occurred 11 thousand and 6 thousand years ago. The first is the emergence in Scandinavia gene responsible for svetlovolosogo and goluboglazaya, the second of a sudden the possibility of allowing adults to digest milk.

But nemas mutation spread now simply no farther. According to Michael reimersa, each of us is a carrier of many mutated genes. "Approximately 50% - 60% of mutations are neutral, 30% - 40% of harmful and lead to various diseases and degeneration, and only 10% beneficial" - said the Professor.

And all these bad mutations are inherited. It turns out that abnormal genes are accumulated in modern humanity exponentially.

Earlier, only a few centuries ago, mutations helped humanity survive - in case of occurrence of various epidemics were always the ones that the infection did not take. Modern humanity, according to the Professor, no epidemics do not threaten. For example, in the Middle ages cow plague, matirova spread among the people, VEGASEL half of Europe. In our time, avian influenza, trying to spread to the Chinese, have failed. To do this it prevented developed medicine.

But what to do with non-mass mutations useless and negative? It must be executed in the case of genetic engineering, the scientist believes. According to Michael reimersa, each person genes exist in two copies - of "one healthy and one broken, tragedy occurs if broken both".

In order not to bequeath the mutated gene, people should trust their sperm or egg) professionals-geneticists who will clean all of it bad. Now, according to the Professor, humanity afraid to use this method, but in 10 years (maximum of 20) we simply will have no choice but to begin to multiply in this way. The children will be everything matching healthy and smart. Of course, there is one danger, recognized Professor. Most likely, the ideal will be recognized certain genes, and humanity will quickly become the same.

At the same time American scientist announced several interesting facts. For example, the long arm of our ancestors originated 3 million years ago - and also as a result of mutations. Then people have not yet learned how to make fire, and to hunt, too, don't really know how. Instead of running after antelopes in Africa, our ancestors were found meat, which hid the lions. For a couple of hours until predators slept in the afternoon, the man had "borrow" eaten up and drag yourself on Parking. It is clear that in the theft of meat succeed those whose arms are longer. So this useful mutation soon covered all contemporary Homo Sapiens.

Which, incidentally, were not the only people in those days there were 5 different species. But four of them died - apparently their hands were short.

Adelaide SIGIDA