Waubonsee Community College

The evolution explosion, how humans cause rapid evolutionary change, Stephen R. Palumbi

eng

Includes bibliographical references and index (p. 255-268) and index

illustrations

index present

non fiction

The evolution explosion

bibliography

45830243

Stephen R. Palumbi

"Evolution is not just the slow process that ruled the rise and fall of the dinosaurs over hundreds of millions of years. It happens quickly too, so quickly and so frequently that it changes how all of us live our lives. Drugs that suddenly fail because diseases evolve, insects that overcome the most powerful pesticides, HIV we can treat only for months before it evolves resistance to the newest drugs - all of these changes happen right before our eyes, driven by the intensity of human medicine, industry, and agriculture." "This fast evolution is evolution with teeth, and it impacts our society, our technology, and, very importantly, our wallets. Evolution adds approximately $30 billion a year to U.S. medical bills and makes some diseases economically incurable except in the richest countries. In addition, U.S. farmers pay an extra $2 billion annually to combat insects that have evolved to tolerate pesticides so powerful that a teaspoon would kill a person."--Jacket

how humans cause rapid evolutionary change

From the mountains to the sea -- Right before your eyes -- The engine of evolution -- Temporary miracles : the evolution of antibiotic resistance -- The evolution of HIV -- Poisoning insects, and what they can do about it -- Biotechnology and the chemical plow -- Evolution all at sea -- Are humans still evolving? -- The ecology and evolution of Aloha