> >
> > Peter Ruest wrote:
> >
> > > Is there any _direct_ evidence for common ancestry between humans
> > > and apes?
> >
> > I've mentioned this on the list before:
> >
> > Evidence of genetic linkage between man and other higher primates can
> > be derived from an endogenous retroviral sequence imbedded in our DNA
> > that is also found at the same point in the DNA of chimpanzees.
> > Retroviruses are a particular class of virus, which includes the HIV
> > virus that causes AIDS, for example. These viral agents have the
> > ability to annex themselves directly into a DNA sequence, and an
> > ancient virus apparently did.
> >
> > The entire genetic code was then passed to future generations,
> > including the retroviral sequence. This retroviral sequence has no
> > activator mechanism, and thus is harmless, but here is the point. Not
> > only do man and chimpanzee have the same number of muscles, bones and
> > teeth, our DNA has a correlation of nearly 99%.
This 99% has always confused me in that is is a number that has been
quoted for many years. Yet, it is my understanding that neither the
chimpanzee nor human genome have been mapped to anywhere this degree of
completeness. So what does this 99% mean? (I'm not arguing; I just don't
understand.)
Walt
.
===================================
Walt Hicks <wallyshoes@mindspring.com>
In any consistent theory, there must
exist true but not provable statements.
(Godel's Theorem)
You can only find the truth with logic
If you have already found the truth
without it. (G.K. Chesterton)
===================================
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