If Humans inhabited other planets, wouldn't new races develop?

[tweezed]

So I've been reading a ton of Science Fiction lately, and one of the recurring themes is the colonization of other planets by humans. What interests me, though, is that the terrain of every (habitable) planet in the universe would be different. So wouldn't new races, or perhaps species, of humans evolve over time, adapting to the different environments? I hope there's something I'm misunderstanding here, I don't want to take the fun out of every Sci-Fi plot I encounter...

[Chris Hansen]

Well it would take thousands if not millions of years for them to develop into another race that has the traits best fit for survival and if they live in a similarly built housing or living units they would still probably stay the same "race" for even longer

[Earthbound01]

You have a lot more holes in your traveling to habitable planets plot then that. But, yes I imagine we would evolve new "races" and such over long, long periods of time.

[abusername]

Yes, they would, over HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of years. So basically, the colonies would not last 1/5th of the time it requires for them to evolve or change even slightly. Unless they have all sorts of protection against all the bad things out in space, the dangers of the human race (overpopulation, killing each other, diseases etc).

So yeah don't be drawn out of Star Wars when a wookie living on a hot planet still has hair, he would have to be there for a real fucking long time for it to shed.

[JustAnotherAsshole]

People may develop different body shapes or take on different hues depending on the color of the star and and gravity of the planet. People may grow taller or shorter depending on the world and different light conditions could cause different skin colors to develop to best protect those inhabitants from the rays. I guess you could definitely consider that a race. That would take time though.

[abusername]

Also protip, humans DO adapt to different environments and that would be very clear even in the first year of the colonization of a planeｔ．　Ｆｏｒ　ｅｘａｍｐｌｅ，　ａ　ｃｏｌｏｎｙ　ｏｎ　ｍａｒｓ　ｍａｙ　ｈａｖｅ　ａ　ｈ ｕｇｅ　ｄｏｍｅ　ｔｈｅｙ　ｌｉｖｅ　ｉｎ　ｔｏ　ｐｒｏｔｅｃｔ　ｔｈｅｍ　ｆｒｏｍ　ｔｈｅ　ｐｌａ ｎｅｔｓ　ｓｔｏｒｍｓ．　Ｂｕｔ　ｍｅａｎｗｈｉｌｅ，　ａ　ｃｏｌｏｎｙ　ｏｎ　ｕｒａｎｕｓ　ｍａｙ 　ｕｓｅ　ａ　ａｉｒ　ｆｉｌｔｒａｔｉｏｎ　ｓｙｓｔｅｍ　ｔｈａｔ　ｉｓｎ＇ｔ　ｐｒｅｓｅｎｔ　ｏｎ 　ｍａｒｓ　ｔｏ　ｐｒｏｔｅｃｔ　ｔｈｅｍ　ｆｒｏｍ　ｐｏｉｓｏｎｉｏｕｓ　ｇａｓ(Ye s, I went there)

EDIT:　Ｗｏｗ　ｌｏｏｋ　ａｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｆｏｎｔ．　Ｚｏｋｌｅｔ　ｉｓ　ｓｏ　ｔｒｕｅｌｙ　ｆｕ ｃｋｅｄ，　ｄａｔａｂａｓｅ　ｅｒｒｏｒｓ，　ｆｕｃｋｅｄ　ｕｐ　ｍｅｓｓａｇｅ　ｐｏｓｔｉｎｇ，　 ３＋ｍｉｎｕｔｅ　ｌｏａｄ　ｔｉｍｅｓ．．．　Ｚｏｋ　ｉｓ　ａ　ｆｕｃｋｉｎｇ　ｊｏｋｅ ｒ．

[mrparks]

Martian niggers, Kenny.

[Death Snuggle]

Take a dive into the Ring theory. It's up your ally and actually scientific. Besides, we could just lock people below the surface of the Earth in caves or something and see if they evolve.

[Mantikore]

yeah, of course it would, but i think it would happen much more slowly than if humans were allowed to evolve naturally. this is because in modern society, the weak do not die off and not reproduce as easily as when we were still wild.

[PirateJoe]

Originally Posted by abusername

Yes, they would, over HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of years. So basically, the colonies would not last 1/5th of the time it requires for them to evolve or change even slightly. Unless they have all sorts of protection against all the bad things out in space, the dangers of the human race (overpopulation, killing each other, diseases etc).

So yeah don't be drawn out of Star Wars when a wookie living on a hot planet still has hair, he would have to be there for a real fucking long time for it to shed.

Really? Hundreds of millions of years? Wasn't the earth, like, covered in dinosaurs only 65 million years ago?

[Old Blind Man]

Evolutionary change may be severly stunted by the fact that people are going to want to enjoy the same standard of living / same lifestyle ? idk..

cultural identity between the planet of origin and the settlers would probably remain pretty homogenous for a while?

/assumption

I.E. im thinking domes and shit.. similar environment to earth (or the planet of origin)

[Satyr]

Yes, but only under these conditions:

1) The conditions of the planet has to be somewhat different than those on earth. If not, there will be no adaption. Which will most likely mean that there will be no change.

2) The conditions still have to be suitable for a human being to live in. (DERP DERP)

And it will take a long, LONG time before the altered gene is actually in each and every human being on that planet.

[HVCO]

Evolution only works when the undesirable members are either not permitted to reproduce or die prior to being able to reproduce (Of course undesirable offspring could be culled as a last resort).

Ultimately, it all depends on the societal structure..... and to what extent individuals unsuited to the environment would be artificially supported by technology.

[monotoned]

Originally Posted by abusername

Also protip, humans DO adapt to different environments and that would be very clear even in the first year of the colonization of a planeｔ．　Ｆｏｒ　ｅｘａｍｐｌｅ，　ａ　ｃｏｌｏｎｙ　ｏｎ　ｍａｒｓ　ｍａｙ　ｈａｖｅ　ａ　ｈ ｕｇｅ　ｄｏｍｅ　ｔｈｅｙ　ｌｉｖｅ　ｉｎ　ｔｏ　ｐｒｏｔｅｃｔ　ｔｈｅｍ　ｆｒｏｍ　ｔｈｅ　ｐｌａ ｎｅｔｓ　ｓｔｏｒｍｓ．　Ｂｕｔ　ｍｅａｎｗｈｉｌｅ，　ａ　ｃｏｌｏｎｙ　ｏｎ　ｕｒａｎｕｓ　ｍａｙ 　ｕｓｅ　ａ　ａｉｒ　ｆｉｌｔｒａｔｉｏｎ　ｓｙｓｔｅｍ　ｔｈａｔ　ｉｓｎ＇ｔ　ｐｒｅｓｅｎｔ　ｏｎ 　ｍａｒｓ　ｔｏ　ｐｒｏｔｅｃｔ　ｔｈｅｍ　ｆｒｏｍ　ｐｏｉｓｏｎｉｏｕｓ　ｇａｓ(Ye s, I went there)

EDIT:　Ｗｏｗ　ｌｏｏｋ　ａｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｆｏｎｔ．　Ｚｏｋｌｅｔ　ｉｓ　ｓｏ　ｔｒｕｅｌｙ　ｆｕ ｃｋｅｄ，　ｄａｔａｂａｓｅ　ｅｒｒｏｒｓ，　ｆｕｃｋｅｄ　ｕｐ　ｍｅｓｓａｇｅ　ｐｏｓｔｉｎｇ，　 ３＋ｍｉｎｕｔｅ　ｌｏａｄ　ｔｉｍｅｓ．．．　Ｚｏｋ　ｉｓ　ａ　ｆｕｃｋｉｎｇ　ｊｏｋｅ ｒ．

Ｉ　ｃａｎ　ｔｙｐｅ　ｌｉｋｅ　ｔｈａｔ　ａｎｙｔｉｍｅ　ｌｏｌ．

But on topic:
Yeah I think it may happen, and I also think that the other life forms that we bring along will do that too. Perhaps the climate is more suitable for fungal growth and we get devoured by huge ass fungi.