[NoahSD]

This isn't a thread about evolution not being a correct theory (sorry stupid people). This is a thread about how evolution's screwed us and various other organisms over. Post examples of various things that evolution's done that you think are stupid, and maybe some other people can clarify why things turned out the way they did.

Here are mine:

1) The ear: When I first learned about the ear in biology, I was amazed out how many steps there are between sound getting into your ear and it registering with your brain. There are these bones with a bunch of cute names and some hairs swaying in some liquid and stuff. It seems to me that we'd be better off with just a membrane thin enough to vibrate and a nerve hooked up to it.

1) Inability to sleep at will: I've always thought this really sucked. It seems to me that people would be more productive if they could choose when to sleep. You'd still get tired if you didn't do it often enough, and pass out if you chose to stay up for way longer than you should, but you wouldn't have to lie in bed staring at the ceiling before a big day. It'd be more like going to the bathroom and less like breathing.

3) Like/Dislike for Certain Foods: It seems like we'd be much healthier if we just craved whatever foods had whatever nutrients we need most, and I guess to some extent this is true. However, it's clearly not completely true. Some people have really weird tastes in food that seem to be biological and seem incredibly unhealthy. I guess the classic example is the kid who won't eat his broccoli, but there are a ton more.

Obviously some of this has to do with the difference between what was necessary to survive during the time when we did most of our evolving and what's necessary to survive now--So, for example we crave lots more fat than we actually need since we're just way less active and able to eat way more often than our ancestors. But, that can't be the whole story.


Anyway, please post yours. And if any of you can explain these things, please do.