Scientific Proof that ALL Humans came from one Pair of Parents

“Y-Chromosomal Adam” and “Mitochondrial Eve” are the scientifically-proven theories that every man alive today is descended from a single man and every man and woman alive today is descended from a single woman.

Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes. One of those pairs is known as the sex chromosomes (because they determine gender), This pair consists of two X chromosomes in females, and one X-chromosome and one Y-chromosome in males. Girls receive one of their X-chromosomes from their mother and the other from their father. Boys receive the X only from their mother and the Y only from their father. Therefore, the Y-chromosome is passed directly from father to son. Because of this, scientists are able to trace male ancestry.

In 1995, the journal of Science published the results of a study in which a segment of the human Y-chromosome from 38 men from different ethnic groups were analyzed for variation (Dorit, R.L., Akashi, H. and Gilbert, W. 1995. Absence of polymorphism at the ZFY locus on the human Y chromosome. Science 268:1183–1185). The segment of the Y-chromosome consisted of 729 base pairs. To their surprise, the researchers found no variation at all. Their conclusion was that the human race must have experienced a genetic bottleneck sometime in the not too distant past. Further research was done and it was determined that every man alive today actually descended from a single man who scientists now refer to as “Y-Chromosomal Adam.”

Mitochondrial Eve takes it a step further. While Y-chromosomes are only passed down from father to son, mitochondrial-DNA is passed down from mother to both daughter and son. Because mitochondrial-DNA is only passed on by the mother and never the father, mitochondrial-DNA lineage is the same as maternal lineage. Knowing this, scientists have found that every human alive today can trace their ancestry back to a single woman who they now refer to as “Mitochondrial Eve.” While Y-Chromosomal Adam is believed to be the ancestor of every living man, Mitochondrial Eve is believed to be the mother of all living humans, male and female.

This information does Not settle the Evolution/Creation debate but What can be said with fair certainty is that regardless of time frames, every man alive today descended from one man while every human alive today descended from one woman.

It is interesting to note here what God said about it. “Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living” (Genesis 3:20 NIV).

Researched and compiled by

Rev. George Pryor M.Th.

revgap@gmail.com

11/11/23