Since ancient times, humanity has sought to explain its origin through legends, legends and religious documents. One of the most famous stories about the creativity of the world found in the Bible – a story about the way God created Adam's first man and then from his ribs to the first night of the woman. According to Genesis's book, this couple has become the ancestor of both humanity: drinks and multiply (Genesis 1:28).
However, how is it actually such a model from the perspective of modern science? Can you really become an ancestor of the entire Earth's population?
Legend of prarodite
The history of Adam and Eva is the foundation of many religious beliefs, especially in the unique traditions. She stated that everyone came from a pair, symbolizing the unity of mankind when faced with the Holy Spirit. The Bible text refers to their children – Cain, Abel and SIF, but there is no detail about how they continue to spend. Meanwhile, Christian theology claims that in Bible Women are rarely mentioned, and this is only done in special cases. This distance has created many explanations, including the idea that Adam and Eve's sons can marry their sisters to continue the flow of people.
However, from the viewpoint of biology, such a script faces serious genetic issues. The theory of evolution of Charles Darwin completely contradicted the concept of the two ancestors. If you eliminate religious dogma and look at the question from a biological point of view, can one imagine that a couple can reside on this planet?
Calculate and limit theory
If we don't talk about humans, but, for example, for animals, such as crodil flies or mice, high reproductive ratio, the answer will be obvious. Scientists have calculated that a pair of mice can give one million descendants in just one year in favorable conditions. However Human population It has a much lower reproductive rate and more complex social structure.
Even if we think that Adam and Eva are completely healthy people without any genetic defects, their descendants will soon face the consequences of inbreeding. Disorder, meaning mating between close relatives, leading to an increase in the risk of genetic diseases. This is due to the fact that diving mutations, often inhibited by dominant genes, begins to appear when both parents are the one who carries the same faulty allele.
Historical examples of hybrid population
History knows many examples to prove the danger of inbreeding. One of the most prominent examples is the Habsburg dynasty, the rules in Europe for centuries. The last representative of this dynasty on the throne of Spain, Charles II, was born with many physical and mental disadvantages. He was able to learn how to walk only eight years and died at the age of 38, leaving no children. The reason for his condition is for many years of blood -flags in the family.
Another example is the history of Pingel Island in southern Pacific. In 1775, the storm destroyed the majority of the population of this coral island, only about 20 survivors. One of them is a gene carrier of Colortonism. Since the population of the island has developed exclusively at the cost of some of these people, the gene of color blindness spreads between descendants. Today, all the tenth residents of Pingel are colored, making this island called “Daltoniki Island”.
Why is the two individuals not enough?
Today, the Earth's population is about 8 billion, and this growth has become feasible thanks to the success of medicine, hygiene and technology. However, even with the modern achievements of science, genetic diversity is still an important factor in the survival of the species. For normal activities of the population, genes from many different sources are necessary. This provides natural selection, helping the body to adapt to changing environmental conditions.
If all humans only come from a pair, then its development to the current level is impossible. Genetic disorders caused by inbreeding will certainly lead to extinction of species. To avoid such consequences, the presence of some different genetic characteristics is necessary at the same time.
Scientific views on human origin
Modern science is based on the theory of evolution, whereby a person comes down from the ancestor with other primates. DNA studies show that modern people who have ancestors live tens of thousands of years ago, but these ancestors are groups, and are not a couple. The genetic diversity of modern humanity indicates that our origin enters African populations that began migrating about 70-100 thousand years ago.
In addition, biological arts found to confirm that Homo Sapiens coexisted with other people, such as Neanderthal and Denisovites. Modern people inherit a part of genetic materials from these ancient species, once again emphasizing the importance of genetic diversity to the survival of species.
Legend or true meaning?
Meanwhile, in the Bible text, at first glance disagrees with scientific events, has their own honesty. The reality is that the Bible contains texts and the meaning of answering the metaphorical questions that have faced humanity. A ancestor for everyone is a reminder We are all siblingsWhich should be treated appropriately. And this view does not completely manage scientific prospects in the world, but is to complement it with a deeper meaning of the existence of the entire humanity.