Why 'Adam' never met 'Eve'

SO-CALLED mitochondrial DNA, inherited only through the female, has been used to trace all living people to one woman ('Eve'). Computer studies have 'shown' that she lived in Africa.

It is apparently possible to trace all modern humans back to one father also. The Y chromosome is inherited only through the male, so can be used in the same way to look for an 'Adam' if there is one.

The computer modelling was done by prominent evolutionist anatomist Professor Charles Oxnard who, incidentally, has long pointed out anatomical reasons why 'Lucy' and her kin are unlikely to be in the human line.

It is interesting that it is possible to trace both maternal and paternal lines to one individual in each case. There was no intrinsic reason to believe that it would turn out that way.

In evolutionary theory, this 'Adam' would not necessarily be the partner of the mitochondrial 'Eve', but would be expected to be part of the same band of early humans in the 'Out of Africa' theory. However, Oxnard's computer results show that 'Adam' may have lived on a different continent.

The West Australian, February 2, 1994.