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EmperorArthur t1_ivfe99l wrote

Reply to comment by Kevin_Uxbridge in We know about viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms evolving to better infect other organisms. Consequently, diseases change too to some extent. Are there any examples of human bodies evolving to fight against these disease causing agents? by ha_ha_ha_ha_hah

> A genome is the makeup of an individual, and can only be understood as such.

Nope. It's statistics that matter at the species level.

A recessive gene with madsive negative consequences will statistically become more and more rare, since at an individual level people who express it are more likely to not produce offspring.

However, if you then get a sudden change in environmental conditions which massively increases those people's survival chances or chances of increasing offspring, then the portion of the population with said gene is going to jump way up again.

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