Board index ‹ Creation and Evolution

[Banjo]

Are Black Africans, Asians, Native Americans, and indigenous people of Oceania people all direct descendants of Adam and Eve?

If so, how did all humans become so genetically different from one another? What was Adam and Eve's skin color in your opinion? They look white in all the human representations, but then how could millions of their descendants end up being very black-skinned, for example?

[jimwalton]

> how did all humans become so genetically different from one another?

No one really knows the origins of humanity's racial differences. It is thought, obviously, that the various racial traits evolved, but tracing that all down has proved, so far, to be unproductive.

Geneticists tell us that if we trace everyone's genetic line backwards, there are a few points of convergence (TMRCA values) in biological history (people to whom we are ALL related: are universal genealogical ancestors but not universal biological ancestors). One would be a couple about 8000-10,000 years ago (Swamidass hypothesis), and the next would be a couple about 750,000 years ago. Interesting that we all, despite our racial differences, trace back to a common line somewhere along the genetic thread. After the event about 8000 yrs ago, however, there was an immediate, exponential population growth.

> What was Adam and Eve's skin color in your opinion?

There's no way to know the answer to this question. It's pure speculation to guess at it, and not a worthwhile pursuit.

> They look white in all the human representations, but then how could millions of their descendants end up being very black-skinned, for example?

Don't go by the representations of European artists. That's not to be considered to be authoritative about their appearance.

[Joel Blazing Pants]

The difference in genes between races are infinitesimal (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/04/race-genetics-science-africa/), and the line is pretty well hypothesized.

[jimwalton]

> The difference in genes between races are infinitesimal

I agree. This has been known for a long time.

> and the line is pretty well hypothesized

Yeah, we know the general progression of human origins and migration, and we attribute the changes to evolutionary development.

So what's the point you're making?

[Joel Blazing Pants]

That we do know the origins of human racial differences.

[jimwalton]

We know a little bit about it, but not much We know the general progression of human origins and migration, and we attribute the changes to evolutionary development, but we don't really know the origins of human racial differences. Regardless, we assume "racial" (which is really a misnomer) distinctions are the result of evolutionary change across the species due to environment and natural selection.