• Question: will you be able to breathe underwater soon when we evolve?

    Asked by kapayaewh to David, Helen, Ian, rhysphillips, Sarah on 14 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Rhys Phillips

      Rhys Phillips answered on 14 Jun 2011:

      I doubt it – evolution is a long process. It would take a long time for humans to develop the ability to breathe underwater.

    • Photo: Ian van der Linde

      Ian van der Linde answered on 14 Jun 2011:

      Our ancestors way back in time could breathe underwater, so it would be going backwards if we became able to again. Also, evolution works by favouring changes that make a species more likely to survive and produce lots of healthy children. Being able to breathe underwater would be awesome, that’s for sure, but I’m not sure it would make us more likely to survive and have children. We could be mauled by a shark for one thing. And our mobile phones would stop working.

    • Photo: Helen Fletcher

      Helen Fletcher answered on 14 Jun 2011:

      I don’t think so. I think we would have to step-aside as the dominant species on this planet and let a water breathing animal take the lead!!

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