You are not getting the point. It is NOT genetically inheritable trait. It's a common thing. When you chew harder food your mandible grows bigger. It's the same for everyone.
wisdom teeth as an argument for evolution
- Thread starter fedr808
- Start date
You are not getting the point. It is NOT genetically inheritable trait. It's a common thing. When you chew harder food your mandible grows bigger. It's the same for everyone.
I do not think so.Or you mean by mandible else than the lower maxillary bone? :scratchin:
especially becase they don't become painful or lethal until your at least 17 and up to 25, which means that chances are the person had already passed on the gene before they were affected.
Or you mean by mandible else than the lower maxillary bone? :scratchin:
doesn't matter you don't think so. Science says so.
Can you give any scientifically reference, instead of your words?
According to my knowledge one can not highlight any change to skeletal system.
Or you're referring to malformations?
I thought about that the day before i posted and let it go anyway. Still seems like a small modification, relatively speaking, and yet the "wisdom teeth" were left behind anyway.
Now in my mind evolution would make teeth as on long tooth encompassing the whole jaw. The reason i say that is look at the skull and the nice radiuses. Why would evolution make individual teeth and not one (2 with top and bottom) long chomper?
Any one know?
My son never had to have his removed because he has none. The dentist was a bit surprised.
Is he an evolutionary leap forward or a freak of nature or are they the same?
maybe he's the missing link?:shrug:
Fraggle Rocker
Staff member
The difference depends on whether it is a successful mutation. You won't know about your son until he has children (or perhaps even grandchildren) of his own and some of them inherit the trait. Otherwise it's not genetic and so it's not evolution.
Its called abiogenesis, its the lack of some body part or organ. Now, what defines abiogenesis is somewhat dificult.
It could either be the result of an evolutionary step or a glitch. Its usually small stuff, some people are born without apendix's and the like.
A certain percentage of people have abiogenesis of the wisdom teeth. The curious thing is that the percentage varies by different parts of the world. For example, I believe native Mexicans have nearly 100% abiogenesis while Tazmanians have nearly 0%.
Whether it is a glitch or evolution is up for debate.
assuming it is a dominant trait of course.
If it is a glitch it can still be genetic as in certain combinations of genes make it more likely or less likely.
Fraggle Rocker
Staff member
That's why I added in the grandchildren. It may take a few generations for a recessive gene to mingle out through the population until it starts pairing up.
Gorillas don't have this problem, since they inbreed within very small clans. I've read that if you take two gorilla skulls from opposite ends of their range and show them to a zoologist unfamiliar with primates, he will insist that they must be two different species.
SilentLi89
Registered Senior Member
I was missing one wisdom tooth and my younger brother is also missing one.
Brothers should not hit each other that hard.
spidergoat
Valued Senior Member
I think they evolved as separate for separate purposes, but also, if you only had one big one and you lost that, that's a huge disadvantage.
Still, cows just have a pad on the top instead.
spidergoat
Valued Senior Member
I think you are wrong about that. Google the grandmother effect. If grandmothers live longer, they can provide childcare to young parents who can then go hunting. Evolution is affected by this dynamic.
SilentLi89
Registered Senior Member
Brothers should not hit each other that hard.
Actually my little brother does not have a brother. Just me, his elder sister. He's too tall for me to get a good punch to his jaw anyway.
That's what happens if you procrastinate too much.