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Part 7 The Difference in the number of chromosome is an insurmountable gulf for apes becoming human
In the previous chapter, we arrived at the conclusion that all mankind comes from the ancient pair of parents, namely, scientific Adam and scientific Eve. Where did this pair of parents come from? Did they evolve from apes? How does modern anthropology view this issue? These are questions which will be addressed in this chapter.
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I: From the viewpoint that humans evolved
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1. The viewpoint established by the theory of evolution
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The fundamental point in Darwin’s theory of evolution is descent with modification. What this means is that every generation might create many individual variations and their characteristics can be inherited by the next generation. Moreover, as a result of the accumulation of many generations of variations, different ethnic groups have differing abilities to adapt to the natural environment. When the environment changes, those ethnic groups who cannot adapt will become extinct, leaving behind those who can adapt. Over time, new species are formed. This is evolution.
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In general, a description of how humans evolved from apes is as follows: During Miocene the weather started to get cold. Areas with forest shrunk and formed into steppe and desert. The ancient apes that used to live in the forest escaped to the equatorial region and lived at the edge of the steppes. Therefore, the animal that used its four limbs to climb and eat fruits gradually evolved to become an omnivore who can walk upright and hunt animals. Those who could adapt to the environment are preserved and continued to evolve. Those who could not adapt became extinct.
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Then the Pleistocene ice age with glacial and interglacial periods of cold and warm weather came. Plants covered the glaciers, rivers and the seas. Appropriate changes occurred on land which greatly contributed to the evolution of humans. Those who were able to adapt to drastic changes in the living environment were left behind and eventually became humans. These descriptions all seemed reasonable before we knew about DNA and chromosomes.
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2. The insurmountable gulf
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The theory of evolution tells us that humans and apes have the same ancestors. Since humans have continued to evolve and apes did not, humans and apes diverged 6 million years ago. According to this assumption, this common ancestor (ancient ape) as in chimpanzees (including Orangutans, Gorillas and Orangutan) should all have 24 pairs of chromosomes.
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With high power microscopes, scientists can see the chromosomes inside the cell and gain knowledge about the different species which often have different numbers of chromosomes.
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In 1923,Theophilus Painter, an American authority in genetics and also the president of the University of Texas, proposed that the human chromosome number should be 2n = 48. This proposal later became a conclusion cited in textbooks and encyclopedias. Not until 1956, scholars Joe Tjio JH, Hsu TC and Albert Levan first accurately determined that the human chromosome number is 2n = 46 pairs rather than 48 pairs.
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Therefore, one can naturally deduce that there is a gulf between the ancient ape with 24 pairs of chromosomes and modern human with 23 pairs of chromosomes. The difference in the number of chromosomes clearly negates the possibility of ancient apes evolving into humans. Because Darwin’s Evolution is gradually formed with numerous, successive and slight modifications, the differences in the chromosome numbers is certainly an insurmountable gulf. Just as one cannot purchase 47.99 numbers of eggs, likewise the number of chromosomes must exist as a whole number. For this reason, it would be impossible for the chromosome number to change gradually. For example, it is impossible in the midst of the 48 chromosomes (24 pairs) and 46 chromosomes (23 pairs) to see 47.98, 47.97… number of chromosomes in the gradual changing apes.
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“If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed, which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down. But I can find out no such case.” - Charles Darwin
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The nucleus which included the 23 pairs of human chromosomes can be thought a small complex organ. It cannot be formed from the apes’ nucleus which included the 24 pairs chromosomes through “numerous, successive, slight modifications”. All organs with 24 pairs of chromosomes cannot evolve into organs with 23 pairs of chromosomes. Is this not so? The reason Darwin thought this was reasonable because he did not possess high power microscopes. The conclusion is this: His theory is “absolutely break down”.
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In the same book Darwin said, “natural selection can act only by taking advantage of slight successive variations; she can never take a leap, but must advance by the shortest and slowest steps.”
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How did ancient apes via, “the shortest and slowest steps”, overcome the chromosome difference gulf? Obviously, it is impossible.
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3. The isolation of species seen from the perspectives of chromosomes and DNA
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Only in the last 50 years did we have a clearer understanding of DNA through biological research.
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Over a hundred years ago, scientists firmly believed that humans evolved from apes because of a lack of high power microscopes and DNA analysis technology. From this we can see that human understanding is limited by the scientific technologies that are available at that moment.
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A horse and donkey can mate to produce a mule. The mule, however, will not be able to mate and produce another mule. Previously it was thought that this is because the female mule’s pelvis cannot open enough and thereby cannot reproduce. Now, we know that the actual reason is because of the separation of species due to chromosome formation. A horse has 64 chromosomes and a donkey has 62 chromosomes. After mating, the mule has 63 chromosomes. The mule lacks any reproductive ability because there are an odd number of chromosomes (i.e. 63) and therefore the reproductive cells cannot undergo normal division (meiosis). Under very unusual circumstances, it is possible that a mule and horse (or donkey) can mate to produce a horse (or donkey). This offspring must have either 64 or 62 chromosomes and can only replicate what its ancestors possess. It cannot, however, form a new species.
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Lions and tigers all have 38 (19 pairs) chromosomes. There is a small probability that a lion and tiger can mate to produce a liger. There is also a very small probability that the liger could mate with a lion or tiger to produce a normal lion or tiger. We cannot, however, find a new species of liger.
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Why is it that even though lions and tigers have the same number of chromosomes, they cannot produce a new species? The fundamental reason is because chromosomes from different species possess differences in DNA sequences which cannot match during meiosis. Therefore, new species cannot be produced.
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Due to the differences between the 23 pairs of chromosomes in humans and the 24 pairs of chromosomes in apes, the theory of evolution is in an insurmountable gulf.
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