• Question: do you think humans can evolve to become immune to diseases

    Asked by caseyb to Emma, Monica, Sebastian, Sinead, Thomas on 11 Nov 2016.
    • Photo: Sinead Loughran

      Sinead Loughran answered on 11 Nov 2016:

      That’s a really interesting question…
      It think it is very unlikely, because bacteria and viruses evolve, too.

    • Photo: Emma Roycroft

      Emma Roycroft answered on 14 Nov 2016:

      Great question. Yes I definitely think they can. Many people are immune to the cold sore virus, but many are not,so it has already happened!

    • Photo: Thomas McLoughlin

      Thomas McLoughlin answered on 14 Nov 2016:

      not convinced that this can happen

    • Photo: Sebastian Gornik

      Sebastian Gornik answered on 14 Nov 2016:

      Unfortunately, the way our immune system works does not allow this. It is called an ‘adaptive’ immune system. In simple terms, it works by being exposed to germs, viruses, etc. It hast to encounter and meet a disease to get immune to it. So we can not be immune to something we have never encountered. However, our immune system can evolve to become more efficient making us less sick and fighting of diseases with more ease.

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