Why Haven't Humans Evolved a Resistance to the Common Cold

Question

Why haven't humans evolved a resistance to the common cold?
A) Colds are effectively killed by antibiotics, so there's no need.
B) Cold viruses haven't been in existence long enough to exert selective pressure.
C) Colds are not serious enough to remove nonresistant variants from the population.
D) We could evolve resistance if we stopped taking so many over-the-counter medications for colds.

Accepted Answer

The common cold is not serious enough to exert a strong selective pressure. It is not a life-threatening condition, and even nonresistant variants of cold viruses do not significantly decrease an individual's chance of survival and reproduction. Therefore, individuals without any resistance to the common cold can still pass on their genes to the next generation.

Answer B is not correct because cold viruses have been around for a long time, and human evolution has had plenty of time to select for resistance if it were advantageous. Answer A is not correct because antibiotics are not effective against viruses, including the common cold. Answer D is not correct because over-the-counter medications do not have a significant impact on human evolution.