• Question: if the world got flooded would we turn into fish

    Asked by cosmo to Hannah, Ian, Jono, Mark on 26 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Ian Wilson

      Ian Wilson answered on 26 Jun 2013:

      Hi cosmo,

      I really like the idea of that, it’d be cool to go swimming with dolphins out in the ocean! Not sharks though…definitely not sharks!

      If the world was flooded though, we wouldn’t be able to evolve into fish. The problem is that, even if the waters rose slowly, we’d just keep moving inland to avoid it. There’d probably be no chance of us evolving to breathe underwater in time.

      There is one possibility though. If the atmosphere became more humid (so if there was more water in the air that we breathe) then humans who could breathe most easily in that air might be more likely to survive. The human race could evolve to breathe in very humid conditions, but that might be the closest we could get to breathing underwater. Our lungs are very different to the gills of a fish, so they might be able to cope with more water in the air but they wouldn’t be able to change to filter oxygen out of water I’m afraid.

      Hope that helps!

      Ian

    • Photo: Hannah Brotherton

      Hannah Brotherton answered on 26 Jun 2013:

      Hi cosmo,
      I think if the world flooded, natural selection and survival of the fittest would have to kick in.

      So those with traits that didn’t suit water would die, adn those that did have strong straits woudl live….so…what woudl that look like?

      – Those that couldn’t swim would die :(, but those that could swim really well would survive.
      Natural selection would happen again
      -Those people that didn’t get cold from water would die, and those that didn’t would survive.
      Natural selection would happen again
      -Those that could hold their breathe the longest would survive because they could hunt for food underwater, and those that couldn’t would die
      Natural selection would happen again
      -Those that could reproduce underwater would survive and all there strengths (above :P) would be passed on…
      and when their babies have babies, their strengths would be passed on….until…..

      you got a human that could hold their breathe for hours, who never got cold, whos feet were really big to swim fast…..

      but I don’t think they would ever get gills…unless they had babies with a fish 😛

    • Photo: Jono Bone

      Jono Bone answered on 27 Jun 2013:

      Hi Cosmo,
      Most people would drown, however I would thrive! I have been working on a machine for the last couple of years just in case this happens. I like to be prepared!
      Jono

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