Overview

Ever since Charles Darwin wrote about the origin of species, there has been a great deal of argument and controversy over the evolution of humans. The author examines the evidence for the genetic basis of evolution in general and the influence of natural selection on the development of the human race. The focus of the book then turns to the question of what the future might hold for the further evolution of humans with particular reference to space exploration and the long-term effects of space travel. The human body is highly adapted in evolutionary terms to living under the influence of gravity and its absence can have some serious health consequences. Weightlessness and its effects on human physiology are only one aspect of space travel the returning astronauts have to deal with. Long space journeys will involve time discrepancies which, in extreme circumstances, result in astronauts returning to a changed world in which their peer group has already passed away and they find themselves amongst strangers. It is difficult to determine exactly what the psychological effects might be on returning voyagers, but it is likely to be quite traumatic. The author suggests the possibility that those who choose to become career astronauts will likely prefer to remain permanently living in space, and over time exposure to different selection pressures will result in a human variant given that both men and women will be equally drawn to scientific research and/or the adventure and excitement involved.

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9781037110474

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John Cowley was born in the north of England just before World War II. He attended Grammar School from 1949 to 1957, followed by a university scholarship and teacher training at the City of Leeds Teacher Training College. He also served as a commissioned officer in the Royal Navy from 1963 to 1968. He migrated to Australia in 1968. He worked as a science teacher and headmaster from 1968 until retirement in 2000. Now retired, he is pursuing interests as a science writer, painter, and philosopher. John Cowley holds a Master of Education (MEd) from Queensland University of Technology, awarded in 1997 and completed a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), initially registered at Ballarat University in Victoria and completed at Calamus International University in 2002.

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