Rana, F, and Ross H. Who Was Adam? Navpress, Colorado Springs, Co. 2005
Chap. 1.and Intro. 2 views: Materialism reigns with biologists and anthropologists; Man’s creation in God’s image with Christians. A viable theory is needed that can be tested for the Christian view and RTB provides it. Neanderthals for in Germany and dated 40,000-100,000yrs.p24 Java man, Pithecanthropus erectus, found in 1890; Dart found Taung child, Australopithecus africanis, in 1924. Many hominid fossils have been found since. Chap.2 The Fossil Record: The Piltdown man found in 1912 was proved a fake in 1953; orangutan and human parts were mixed and teeth were filed. A few scientists did fraud to gain recognition; Most are honest.p28 Some creationists capitalize on this fraud, but it does not convince scientists unless an alternate theory is proposed to explain the other known hominids. Ross uses this term for bipedal primates, while biologists let it include humans also. Ross maintains the modern humans, Homo sapiens sapiens, have always been different. Some biologists use archaic Homo sapiens for Homo erectus, and Homo Neanderthals that are supposed to live 500,000-130,000 yrs ago. See p 31 chart.“However, nearly all paleoanthropologists agree that modern humans appear in the fossil record not much earlier than 100,000 yrs. ago.”p 30 The bulk of the record with many hominid fossils occurred in Africa and are dated several million yrs ago (p31). Some of these used very simple stone pieces. These Hominids appear distinct from chimpanzees and Ross terms them novel bipedal apes.p33 These hominids had a larger brain than chimps but still had the longer arms, shorter legs for climbing and may have knuckle walked like apes. It is claimed that about 2 million yrs ago that some hominids of the Homo genus appeared- Homo habilis, H. rudolfensis, homo ergaseter; then came homo erectus about 900,000 yrs ago with a brain size of 1200 cc. This was still different that modern humans.p35 Homo Neanderthals appeared in Germany about 130,000 yrs ago. The recent evolutionary chart of man is on p.37 The main theory is that man evolved out of Africa. P.38Ross asserts that theses ancient homo erectus are still different than modern humans. Ref: Boyd, R. and Silk, J. How Humans Evolved, Norton, NY 2003.
Chap. 3 RTB Creation Model assertions: 1. God created Adam and Eve (1st humans) both spiritually and physically by direct intervention. Some theistic evolutionists hold that man physically evolved and God added a spirit. In Mark10:6 and Mat.19:4, Gen. 3,4,5 disagree, 2. Humanity originated in a single geographical location (the garden of Eden- Mesopotamia or NE Africa)., 3. Adam and Eve created about 10,000 to 100,000 yrs ago. Other mammals were created first. The bible genealogies have gaps and can be stretched to the above times. P42 4. Females appear older than male’s linage. This is because the male lineage had a sever bottle neck after the flood. Only Noah and his sons survived, but the wives had a more diverse linage, not closely related but tied to Eve. 5. God prepared the planet for humanities advent for ages. 6. Humans share characteristics with animals due to common design. 7. Humanity, made in God’s image, displays unique characteristics distinct from all other creatures. 8. Life spans of the 1st humans were several hundred yrs and became shorter after the flood. 9. The flood was local in Mesopotamia and killed all human and soulish animals. 10. Humanity spread around the world from the middle east.p 51
Chap. 4 the Genes and DNA: Mutations are usually negative but do occur. Molecular clocks can be set on DNA changes. Humans display much less genetic diversity than any other species, which implies that they are young and from a single location near Africa.p60 MtDNA research on mother’s genes. Wilson’s 1991 study indicated a beginning of women’s’ genes about 200,000 yrs ago in Africa. A recent Swiss study in 2000 indicated a start 171,500 +- 50,000 yrs ago from Africa.p63 Making a correction from homoplasmy to heteroplasmy could shorten the ages to 50,000 yrs.p64 The rate of mutations is assumed constant in history, but it is known that changes in the level of radioactivity can change the rate. The fathers Y chromosomes mutations have also been clocked. One study indicated male origins about 40,000-60,000 yrs ago and another 35,000-47,000 yrs ago. Out of Africa was also indicated.p66 Another method of dating is linkage disequilibrium which gave an age of man of 173,000 yrs out of Africa.p 70 Rana also noted (p 71) that various disease organisms associated with humans hand been back dated: Malaria parasite-50,000 -100,000 yrs and Lice-72,000 yrs. Many evolutionary anthropologists think man evolved from hominids several million yrs ago.p74 The theorize that hominids-man went through a die-off bottleneck 100,000 yrs ago and that is why they appear to start then. Rana states this will be proved incorrect as bottleneck often lead to complete extinction of a species.
Chap. 5 Bones and Stones: A human like skull was found in an Israel cave and dated 100,000 yrs ago. Several more were found in Ethiopia and dated 100,000-130,000 yrs. Their skulls were their and faces somewhat different than recent humans. Their tools were only rock fragments similar to those of Neanderthals that involved flaking off rock fragments with a hammer stone(p 80,82,85). Rana (p84) states that the rapid development of tools did not begin until 40,000yrs ago. In the middle and late stone age there is evidence of better projectiles to kill buffalo and wild boars.p86 The 3rd molars (M3)don’t develop until reproductive maturity and a study was done on this examining the wear on M3 rating the ratio of older to younger adults: Ratios were .24 for Homo erectus, .39 for Neanderthals, and 2.08 for modern humans indicating a progressive increase in the older percentage. Longer life spans promote social cohesion and learning.p87 Jewelry did not appear until about 40,000yrs. Cave paintings appeared 32,000-17,000 yrs ago in France, Spain and Germany. Musical instruments-and ivory flute was dated 30,000-37,000 yrs ago in Germany.p89 Ivory needles with eyes appeared 40,000 yrs ago probably with clothing and body lice.p.90 Russian grave sites indicated skeletons with beads 22,000yrs ago. Rana makes the point that these signs of advanced tools, art, jewelry occurred rapidly at the time of Homo sapiens fossils and bones, and these were not present with the earlier hominid fossils.p94
Chap. 6 Planet Timing: p98 Our galaxy and sun and moon are finely tuned for our life. We are safe from supernovas, and gamma ray bursts.p100 Molecular clouds may have caused the ices ages with increased dust. Our sun is increasing in brightness and also losing mass. Moon is moving away at 4 cm/yr. Earth’s rotation is slowing, 24 hrs is ideal; more rapid rotations causes higher winds, slower, climate extremes. Eclipse sizes just right.
Chap. 7 Aging: Factors contributing: Free radicals- countered by antioxidants, vit. C,E, superoxide dismutase; Calorie reduction-histone proteins, red wine; telomers tend to shorten with age; radiation from igneous rock and cosmic rays.p111-121
Chap. 8 People Movement: It stated out of East Africa near the middle east less than 100,000-yrs ago.p125 There were great migration 30,000-40,000yrs ago to Europe, Asia, and Australia.p 137 To America 9,500-12,300yrs ago; used Bering strait; Two groups: Australian from the S. pacific rim and Native Americas from Asia via Bering strait.p134.
Chap. 9 Is Human Evolution a fact? Biologists have used 2 lines of evidence for evolution: shared anatomical features and the fossil record. The record appears to show life changed from very simple forms early to more complex form later.p 140 This can also be explained by the day age theory of creation of biblical kinds by RTB. The theory is philosophically tied to naturalism where no miracles are allowed. This becomes a force fit where evidence is irrelevant. If one deems all the forms between hominids (bipedal apes) and humans as transitional forms then a case can be made for evolution. If one view them as separate creations, which do not follow a clear progressive line(as they don’t), then evolution is no supported.p142 There is considerable disagreement among paleontologists on hominid fossil classification: some favor lumping the hominid together in fewer groups and some separate species classifications.p146 Rana argues that the hominids do not appear to diverge in a tree like fashion but follow a large diversity of hominids like a lawn of separate plants.p151 The great improbabilities of evolution are noted on p.151 10-24,-33 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hominids
Subfamily Homininae includes Gorilla – gorillas , Homo – humans Pan – chimpanzees
“Researchers such as David Reich, Eric Lander and others argue that the species associated with the divergence between chimpanzees and proto-humans swapped genes over time through interbreeding, before finally separating.[7] It is generally believed that the Pan/Homo separation occurred about 6 – 8 million years ago,[8][9][10] but the molecular clock (a method of calculating evolution based on the rate at which genes mutate) suggests the genera division 4.6 – 6.2 million years ago.[11] Previous studies looked at average genetic differences between human and chimp. The new study compares the ages of key sequences of genes of modern humans and modern chimps. Some sequences are younger than others, indicating that chimps and humans gradually separated over a period of 4 million years. The youngest human chromosome is the X chromosome which is about 1.2 million years more recent than the 22 autosomes.[7] The X sex chromosome is known to be vulnerable to selective pressure.[12] Its age suggests there was an initial division between the two species, followed by gradual divergence and interbreeding that resulted in younger genes, and then a final separation.”
Homo erectus is an extinct species of hominid that originated in Africa—and spread as far as China and Java—from the end of the Pliocene epoch to the later Pleistocene, about 1.8 to 1.3 million years ago.[1] There is still disagreement on the subject of the classification, ancestry, and progeny of H. erectus, with two major alternative hypotheses: erectus may be another name for Homo ergaster, and therefore the direct ancestor of later hominids such as Homo heidelbergensis, Homo neanderthalensis, and Homo sapiens; or it may be an Asian species distinct from African ergaster.
Chap. 10 Bipedalism and Brain size: p155 Humans are different than primates in a number of ways: Bipedalism, a large brain, large ratio of brain size to body mass, unique skull, long legs and short arms, limited sexual dimorphism, manual dexterity, and advanced culture. Chimps and Gorillas knuckle walked. Bipedalism developed 2 million yrs before much tool use. One hypothesis is as Africa transitioned from a woodland to more open grassland, bipedalism was favored; also reaching for food higher up. There are many (7)anatomical differences need to walk fully upright:p157-8 Austraopithecines (400cc) had optional bipedalism; the Home genus had obligatory bipedalism. Modern humans brain size is 1000-1500 cc; Homo erectus (850-1000cc). The encephalization quotient, EQ, humans=5.8, Austraopithecines=2.5, homo habilis=3.1, homoerectur=3.3
Chap.11 Who as Turkana Boy? He was 9 yr old, 1.6 million yrs ago in E. Africa, homo erectus or egaster.p171
Chap. 12 The Neanderthals: They are viewed as an evolutionary side branch in the route from chimps to man.p181 Although the brains size is about the same, they are also different in morphology and bone structure. They appear adapted for cold climates and had shorter limbs and more stocky bodies to conserve heat. A study by the Max Planck Institute comparing mtDNA in Neanderthals and man indicated that they are different in 35 out of 340 base pairs.p.184 This has been confirmed by other studies also.p185 They also had skull shape differences. P191 Their tools are typical of simple flaked stones in the Mousterian age. They did not appear to have much language, art, or music like humans.p192
Chap. 13. Chimps:p200 Early attempts to compare Chimp and human DNA used G and C banding and staining techniques and found great similarity.p204 Techniques in the mid 1980’s used coding DNA’s and found about 99% similarity.p209 Later, when supposedly non-coding DNA was added more differences were noted and only 98.7% similarity was found.p211 Study of gene mutation rates have been used to back date the supposed split between chimp and humans to about 5-7 million yrs. ago. MtDNA comparisons yielded similar results.p.212 Until recently biologists only compared gene nucleotide substitutions, and not insertions and deletions. When this was added the gene differences changed 95%. P214 One study found only a 86.7% similarity. Some studies detailed specific gene differences have been noted between chips and man: GL-neur sugars in the brain; FOXP2 affects language in brain- defects in this gene cause language disorders; ASPM affects the size of the cerebral cortex for planning and abstract reasoning-defects in this in human is known to cause a microcephaly disease.p215-9 Studies have shown that humans are 35% similar in DNA to a daffodil and 80% similar to a mouse.p230 God likely used similar DNA building blocks and the differences are very important. Rana notes it is very improbable that these many precise upward gene changes could have occurred by chance when slight mischanges are known to cause disease. P223. Back dating using the FOXP2 protein indicates it developed about 200,000 yrs ago, but not in the line of Neanderthals. P218
Chap. 14 Junk DNA: p237-43 Recent findings have indicated that Pseudogenes, LINE, SINES, and Endogenous Retroviruses all have useful functions. They were previously thought to be evidence of casts offs of evolution.
Chap. 15 Mankind’s Identity p.246 It appears the Homo erectus and Neanderthals are side branches and not leading directly upward to humans. The Man to chimp DNA similarity may be as low as 85%. Only small changes in DNA can cause big differences in appearance and behavior. Evidence for a single couple giving the DNA out of E. Africa or Eden supports Adam and Eve.