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According to my reading and viewing, science has determined through DNA testing and research that all of us alive today are descended from the same pool of ancestors who lived around 100 thousand years ago. Depending on the source, that pool of ancestors numbered around 5,000 to 12,000 individuals.
I started this line of though when speculating that I myself have a certain numer of genes, half of which I pass to my children, who in turn past 1/4 of my genes to their children etc until such time as my genes entirely disappear from my bloodline (with the exception of direct male to male descendents who have my Y chromosome and the genes attached)
Then this universal gene pool thing caught my attention. With very rare exceptions, genes are never newly created nor destroyed. All genes frome those original 5,000-12,000 individuals are still out in the general population today. We continue to mix and stir and remix and rediscover combinations.
I used to say that in all of time, all of space, there never has been nor ever will be someone with the exact genetic makeup as me. Now I wonder if that is not exactly true, that maybe someday that specific gene combination can re-occur. What are the implications?
Are there any here with a bit more background that can address that issue, the stirring of the gene pool and the consequences?
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