Biblical evolutionary genetics

✍ Scribed by Sperber, Geoffrey H.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2002
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 28 KB
• Volume: 107
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0148-7299
• DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.10147

✦ Synopsis

The intriguing explanation by on the absence of a human baculum, making it appear as a ``disease'' caused by a deletion in chromosome 2:21±22 (!), is an elaborate whimsical combination of legends and genetics. The rare occurrence of human penile ossi®cation might then be viewed as an atavistic phenomenon.

The reduction in the number of ribs alluded to is also a genetic and evolutionary phenomenon, for a number of primates (gibbons, chimpanzees) possess 13 pairs of ribs, in contrast to our 12 pairs in both male and female (contrary to common misconception!) [Aiello and . The biblical explanation of woman's origin from a rib may well have foreshadowed Darwin's evolutionary theory of our descent from apish ancestors. The reduction of the 48 chromosomes in apes to our karyotypic number of 46 still requires a biblical interpretation.

The ®nal brilliant epiphany of revelations of the origin of the penile raphe might account for the continued religious ritual of the circumcision of the prepuce.