Has the Theory of Evolution benefited mankind?

Hi,
The article revolves around the understanding of the evolution of HIV drug resistance.
http://www-cogsci.ucsd.edu/~rik/papers/hivPop-alifeX.pdf
"HIV is obviously one of the most deadly diseases currently facing our species, but it also provides an extraordinary, well-documented example of a “successful” evolutionary system. We present a simple model that is capable of exploring interactions among several key features of this system that push the limits of traditional evolutionary theory."
This type of evolution conforms to macro- and not micro-evolution because:"Within these “refugia,” HIV is capable of evolving at a prodigious rate, producing on the order of 1010 virions daily. Worse, the reverse transcription process exploited by HIV as it introduces its DNA into host cells creates extremely
high mutation rates, affecting as many as one of every 2000 nucleotides. Once infected by a wild-type variant of the disease, drug-resistant mutants can be transmitted to newly infected individuals."In short, the rate at which these viruses evolve is much faster, and so the time needed to pass from just micro- (a slightly better virus) to macro- (an entirly new virus, one that can deal with our drugs) evolution, is thus proportionaly shorter.

Ok, I don't know what "Pull up a stump and set a spell" means, but thanks anyway.

Which one r u?

Knowing how life arose helps us: (15 pts')
a) Investigate possible life elsewhere.
b) Design life of our own.
c) Predict where life is heading and prepare for the outcome.
d) All of the above.
e) It doesn't help us.What would your answer be?BTW: All of the things stated are actually starting to happen (bioastronomy, AI and designed viruses, tests for potential genetic deseases).{edited to remove unwanted frowny face)This message has been edited by kalimero, 04-08-2006 03:54 PM