[nyconse]

One of the most fascinating bits of science lately is that Palies now believe that all modern men (and women) are descended from one woman who came out of Africa-imagine that. It reinforces the biblical version of creation. I have never believed evolution contradicted the biblical version-things evolve...so?

[Junior]

Boy are you taking that out of context. Sure, the descendents of a single woman 200,000 comprise the entire geneology of the human race. However, this does not imply that she existed by herself. The phenomenon has been documented time and again. The residents of Pitcairn Island, for instance, descended from the Bounty mutineers, have had the number of surnames dwindle over the past two centuries. If trends continue, they will eventually be reduced to a single surname.

[walden]

Eve?

"I am black, but comely . . ."
-- Song of Solomon 1:5

"Behold, thou art fair, my love . . ."
-- Song of Solomon 1:15

And, is the Song of Solomon an allegory of Adam and Eve? Enquiring minds want to know . . . ;)

[Ichneumon]

One of the most fascinating bits of science lately is that Palies now believe that all modern men (and women) are descended from one woman who came out of Africa-imagine that. It reinforces the biblical version of creation.

No it doesn't, actually. From a prior post of mine on this topic:

First, it's incorrect to say that "all humans living today can trace their ancestry to [just] one man and one woman". Genetically, we all have many ancestors and there is no one genetic male ancestor nor one genetic female ancestor, nor was there ever any time where there was just one pair of humans on the planet.

Second, as the article makes clear, the timing is inconsistent with the versions that you've "heard" before in certain books.

For a clearer understanding of what the difference is between a genetic common ancestor and a mitochondrial common ancestor, see this excellent interactive Flash webpage on tracing ancestry. First click on different descendants and note how they are all genetically descended from multiple ancestors, and how all the ancestors have left descendants. Then click on the "Show mtDNA ancestors" button, and repeat the check of descendants -- you'll find that their *mitochondria* all descend from a single female.

For a fuller discussion, see What, if anything, is a Mitochondrial Eve?.

[geopyg]

"It reinforces the biblical version of creation."

Yeah - and that part about "let there be light" sure sounds a lot like the "Big Bang" theory that seems to be popular nowadays.

[King Prout]

One of the most fascinating bits of science lately is that Palies now believe that all modern men (and women) are descended from one woman who came out of Africa-imagine that. It reinforces the biblical version of creation.

ah, no. Too much Discovery Channel, not enough Cell and Molecular Biology.