All contemporary humans may have descended from a single marriage 100,000 to 200,000 years ago, says a recent assessment. Scientists analyzed the DNA ‘bar codes’ of five million creatures, including humans, from 100,000 species. The results sparked hypothesis that we arose from a single couple of adults after a terrible catastrophe almost wiped off the human race.
These bar codes, or fragments of DNA outside live cells’ nucleus, show that nine out of 10 animal species may have arisen from a single couple.
The study’s authors, Stoeckle and Thaler, found that 90% of all animal species now came from parents who all began giving birth fewer than 250 thousand years ago, casting doubt on human evolution.
Thaler said he struggled hard against this notion.
Human Evolution released the latest paper from Rockefeller University and the University of Basel. Mark Stoeckle and David Thaler of Basel, Switzerland, led the research.
They analyzed ‘big data’ from the world’s fast-growing genetic databases and Darwin’s evolutionary theories.
Dr. Stoeckle remarked, ‘At a time when people emphasize individual and group distinctions, we should spend more time on how we resemble each other and the animal kingdom.’
The results raise the question of why human existence had to start over so soon after the previous extinction 65 million years ago.
This suggests the prospect of an intrinsic human evolutionary process in which we break down and die, starting over. We’re comparable to every other human and creature.
According to mitochondrial DNA, if a Martian came on Earth and met a flock of pigeons and a throng of humans, one would not look more diversified than the other.
Culture, life experience, and other factors can make people different, but in terms of biology, we’re like birds. Added Dr. Stoeckle.
The investigation studied mothers’ mitochondrial DNA, which found ‘no human uniqueness.’
Humans’ enormous population numbers and extensive geographic spread may have contributed to higher genetic variety than other animal species, said Stoeckle.
Humans have low-to-average genetic diversity, at least for mitochondrial DNA.
Some religious parties misread the study, thinking it suggested we all came into being 100,000 years ago in a Big Bang-type event.
Stoeckle and Thaler’s findings show that our species revamps more often than we imagined, as do all creatures. Drs. Stoeckle and Thaler have contacted us since this article’s publication.
Our findings confirms Darwinian evolution, which holds that all life developed from a common biological beginning over billions of years.
Our study follows standard evolution theory. We don’t advocate a single “Adam” or “Eve.” We don’t propose disasters.
