A BEDTIME STORY FOR US ALL
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Evolutions end.
We already know evolution is technically a very complex thing to take place, but it could be simplified into a handful of types of events. In this story, I want to summarize these for you because it’s helpful to know why and how we have so many differences and the processes that shaped them.
Convergent Evolution is where a species with a similar function or feature to that of another develops, but it evolved independently and away from one another. Divergent Evolution is where two groups of the same species evolve different traits within the groups in order to adapt to different environmental or social pressures. Parallel Evolution is where there are geographically separated groups that evolve away from one another but still show morphological similarities.
The two “family events” of evolution are: Stem Evolution, which is what happens where continental rifts form and land masses move apart. Then there is Crown Evolution, which is what takes place where landmasses join again and species crossbreed.
The final part of this story includes Earth having yet another cold glacier period which was caused by the ripple effects of a faraway collision of a dark nebula, and its cosmic rays hitting our planet.
Space and the greater universe influenced life on earth a lot! There was a loss of plants, reduced oxygen, and with that, the death of many species. Those that did survive then had to deal with a meteorite estimated to be around 10 km wide in diameter, which rammed into Earth and sealed the fate for just about everything that was still alive. This is what wiped out the dinosaurs, and you now know to be one of the mass extinction events I have already written about in this story.
Mammals emerged successfully from this disaster because they were the most resilient creatures at the time. They then spent many years evolving into a number of animal species, one of which was primates who are believed to have first appeared around 55 million years ago. Our time finally arrived. We have reached the Humanozoic era.
Hominins appeared around 6 million years ago. Over time, we learned how to talk, we became self-aware, developed advanced memory and imagination. We worked on improving ourselves throughout the Pliocene era and well into the Holocene era.
Between 300 000 and perhaps as early as 1.2 million years ago, people left Africa on foot and migrated all over the world. What we know for certain is that around 200 000 years ago, ancestors of ours could be found almost everywhere. 100 000 years ago, we started the Agricultural Revolution. 5 000 years ago, the trade revolution. And with that, we developed cities, laws, and founded religions. Only 300 years ago, the Industrial Revolution was started in the United Kingdom. Around 35 years ago, the Information Revolution started with computers and the internet, birthing Industry 4.0.
I want to ask the Reader now a question about the serious problems of today, be it Racism or Inequality or even Climate Change. If you were to give these issues a time stamp percentage in the history of life, what percentage would it form?
I want us to appreciate that we heading towards a “unified nation period,” and I hope whoever writes about us in the future has something really nice to say. If your packet of Niknaks has lasted this long, you have more control than me.
I hope you have enjoyed this story, learned something new and have gained a sense of wonder and appreciation of your new friend Mother Nature and yourself. As a Future Thinker, it would be silly of me to miss the opportunity to share a quick peek into our far future.