Adam, Eve and Population Genetics: A Reply to Dr. Richard Buggs (Part 2)

[DennisVenema]

@vjtorley

Great article. As you’re probably aware, Dr. Ann Gauger believes there was a severe bottleneck around two million years ago, with the emergence of Homo erectus, whom she identifies as the first true human being. Is there anything that rules out her ancient severe bottleneck scenario, at present?

By the way, in the second-last paragraph, “Dr. Bugg’s hypothesis” should read “Dr. Buggs’s hypothesis.” Cheers.

I must have missed that one - I did studiously try to avoid getting those possessives wrong - paging @BradKramer for another edit…

At 2 million years ago we don’t have the coverage of methods that we do for ~1MYA and onwards. If @agauger thinks we can read Genesis as set at 2MYA with another species, I don’t think there’s a scientific case that rules that out, at least at present. At that point, in my opinion, we’re so far afield from what Genesis is saying that it seems really ad hoc to me. YMMV.