Scribd
Upload
74 views19 pages

The Present: Our World Our Biology Our Evolution

The document summarizes how human activity since the Industrial Revolution has impacted the planet through increased fossil fuel usage, large-scale industrialized agriculture and manufacturing, population growth, and other factors. This has led to issues like global warming, pollution of oceans, and changes in human biology. The effects of global warming include rising sea levels, more extreme weather, shifting crop patterns, and threats to biodiversity. While some argue global warming is natural, most evidence points to it being exacerbated by human activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation. The long term impacts on human evolution and the environment remain uncertain.

Uploaded by

rhye999
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
74 views19 pages

The Present: Our World Our Biology Our Evolution

The document summarizes how human activity since the Industrial Revolution has impacted the planet through increased fossil fuel usage, large-scale industrialized agriculture and manufacturing, population growth, and other factors. This has led to issues like global warming, pollution of oceans, and changes in human biology. The effects of global warming include rising sea levels, more extreme weather, shifting crop patterns, and threats to biodiversity. While some argue global warming is natural, most evidence points to it being exacerbated by human activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation. The long term impacts on human evolution and the environment remain uncertain.

Uploaded by

rhye999
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 19

The Present: our world;

our biology; our


evolution

Impacting the Planet

Switching from wood to


coal

coal - fossilized
remains of millions of
organisms
compressed over
time into a rock-hard
mass

burns more efficiently

Industrial Revolution

Started in Britain in the


1750s

Technological
innovations led to
profound shifts in human
lifestyle

Manufacturing on a
large scale

Rise of factories

Industrialized
Agriculture

Large scale agriculture

Supports a rapidly
increasing population

Makes food more


affordable

Cost?

Production of large
amounts of food

Industrialized
Agriculture

Increase use of
fossil fuels

Using large
amounts of water
faster than can be
sustained

Toxic runoff
Arms race with
insecticides and
herbicides

Heating Our Planet

Fossil Fuel - combustable material,


such as oil, coal, or natural gas,
composed of organisms remains
preserved in rock

Started with
agricultural
revolution, gained
momentum with the
industrial revolution

Increased use of
fossil fuels --->
starting with coal,
to oil

Rapid increase in
pollution

Greenhouse Effect

Trapping radiation
Expedited by

increase fossil
fuel omissions

deforestation

polluting oceans

increase in meat
consumption

Global Warming

The increase in the


average temperature of
Earths atmosphere in
response to the
greenhouse effect

Average rise of 1.8


degrees Fahrenheit

Not much? Has led


to---

Effects of Global
Warming

Diminishing ice masses

85% decrease in Mount


Kilimanjaro

Shrinking polar ice caps


leads to rising sea levels

Heat waves
Frigid winters
Extreme storms

Effects of Global
Warming
Shifting patterns of
precipitation

Increase in dryness in
American Southwest,
Midwest, Northern
Mexico, Caribbean,
Mediterranean

Increase in precipitation in
high altitude Northeastern US and
Europe

Shift in areas of crop


production

Is it Real?

People argue that global


warming is not really
happening

Global warming is just


the natural cycle of the
earth

Species will adapt or go


extinct, people adjust

Our Oceans

Increase in
acidity

Death of the
Great Barrier
Reef

Extinction of
sea life

Large amounts of
waste being
dumped

Great Pacific
Garbage
Patch

Nuclear

Used in the production of electricity


Large amounts of highly toxic waste
created

Uranium-235
Plutonium-239

Radioactive acids and bases

One reactor generates 20 to 30


tons of high-level nuclear waste
a year

Hanford - 56 million gallons of


radioactive waste

Where to put it?

Population Increase

7.1 billion and counting

Increase demand on
resources

Detrimental to the
environment

Increase in diseases
All made worse by the
effects of global warming

Changes in Our Species

Trend towards increased


body weight

Americans have on
average become taller
and heavier

Rise in obesity as a result


of readily available foods
high in fat and sugar

Obesity linked with


many health problems

Changes in Our Species

Increase in allergies

Genes will play a role,


more to do with
environment

Hygiene hypothesis Increase in allergies in


children are a result of
decreased early
exposure to microbes

Continuing Evolution

Variables in our genetic


makeup that may or may
not be expressed
phenotypically

Examples:

Resistance to HIV and


AIDS

Adaptation to high
altitudes

Increase or decrease in
fertility

Which Direction?
We will continue to consume energy
Our population will continue to increase
Our world is going to change
What role will culture play? What role will
genes play?

Fun to guess, impossible to predict

You might also like