Anthropology: Natural and Artificial Selection

Anthropology, as a field of study, examines various aspects of human beings, including their evolution, behavior, culture, and societies. Within anthropology, the concepts of natural and artificial selection are essential to understanding the processes that shape human populations and their characteristics.

Natural selection is a fundamental mechanism of evolution proposed by Charles Darwin. It refers to the process by which certain heritable traits become more or less common in a population over time due to their effects on reproductive success. In natural selection, individuals with advantageous traits that enhance their survival and reproductive fitness are more likely to pass those traits on to future generations. These traits can be physical characteristics, physiological adaptations, or behavioral traits that provide a selective advantage in a specific environment. Over generations, natural selection leads to the adaptation of populations to their environments.