Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150115134715.htm
By: Science Daily
Evolutionary theory is based around the fact that organisms adapt to their surroundings. This article provides a clear example of just that, offering deeper insight into evolution, humanity, and our immune system. A study spanning the course of two decades has found that the environment has a much bigger impact on the human immune system than hereditary genes. For the first 20 years of a human's life, his/her immune system remains extremely active, continually adapting to encounters with any sort of outside influence and growing all the stronger for it.
Clearly, this connects to what we've talked about recently, such as evolution and adaptation. Without evolution, we would still be bacteria swimming in a primordial soup, and this recent discovery helps shed light into one of nature's most vital processes.
Are there any other parts of the human body that are similarly more effected by the environment than hereditary genes?
ReplyDeleteCoincidentally, there is, and there is also a huge debate centered around it. For a very long time, psychologists have argued over nature vs. nurture, that is, whether your genes or your environment have a bigger impact on your personality and choices, which are, of course, contained in the brain. Recent studies suggest that your brain is 50% nature and 50% nurture, meaning half of your personality was determined on birth, and the other half is dependent on your interactions with other people, the environment, your upbringing, etc.
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