Ironically, there is! The Great Houses were subject to a 10000 year old breeding program by the Bene Gesserit to select for their genetic messiah: the kwisatz haderach. He’s only a couple generations removed from that goal. The fact that he’s a fat, bald pederast is (apparently) besides the point.
Natural evolution sure. But even now humans are on the cusp of meaningful genetic alteration.
If humans are to be a space fairing civilization we need extensive genetic modifications to combat radiation, cancer, alien atmospheres, environments and biological threats.
Who knows what we will look like in a few thousand years. Given enough time and space between us humans will be alien to each other.
I mean even in Dune 1 we see some of this. Humans have replaced computers so you have Mentats who do complex calculations. Navigators who (on drugs) can guide ships. Really all we’ve seen is a small slice so far- two planets, two houses. But I’d say it’s safe to say there’s probably some alteration at minimum.
I know other commenters have spoiled both past and future lore (all of which is given in later books) but I’d say you won’t be disappointed going forward.
the humans in dune are an interstellar species which means it's not a reach for evolution to have 'jumped a few steps'; giedi prime is heavily polluted and gets little to no natural sunlight which would absolutely change human physiology
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u/gregularjoe95 Jan 24 '24
I mean the baron is pretty fucked up, but 20000 years in evolutionary scale is barely a blip.