[Avodah] The Neolithic Bottleneck

Micha Berger micha at aishdas.org
Tue Jul 31 01:24:21 PDT 2018


https://bigthink.com/philip-perry/the-mystery-of-the-neolithic-bottleneck-may-be-over-thanks-to-one-plucky-undergrad
or http://bit.ly/2AmQdzm

I'm ignoring the "plucky undergrad"'s theory and propose one of my own.

    Big Think Interviews and Blogs
    The mystery of the Neolithic bottleneck may be over, thanks to one plucky
    undergrad
    June 10, 2018
    by Philip Perry

    The Neolithic period or "New Stone Age," developed at different times
    in different regions, but is generally thought to have taken place
    between 7,000-9,000 years ago. An important era in human
    development, this time period is best known for the Neolithic
    revolution. Here, humans began to take part in large-scale agriculture,
    domesticating large herds of animals, building megalithic architecture,
    and using polished stone tools.

    Then, starting around 7,000 years ago and taking place over the
    next two millennia, something odd happened. The diversity of the
    Y-chromosome plummeted. This took place across the continents of
    Africa, Asia, and Europe. It's the major reason why humans are
    99.9% identical in genetic makeup today. The Neolithic Y-chromosome
    bottleneck (as it's called) has stymied anthropologists and biologists
    since it was first discovered in 2015. Now, the mystery may have been
    solved.

So, in a period of time that might be that between Adam and Noach, there
was a genetic bottleneck, in which most of the variety in human males
died off.

Seems to me that once Haashem made Adam, homo saps that lacked a nishmas
chayim simply couldn't compete. Ending with Noach.

Problem is, I was identifying the Neolithic Revolution with the effects
of having a neshamah and the sudden upgrade in possible thought.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Man can aspire to spiritual-moral greatness
micha at aishdas.org        which is seldom fully achieved and easily lost
http://www.aishdas.org   again. Fulfillment lies not in a final goal,
Fax: (270) 514-1507      but in an eternal striving for perfection. -RSRH


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