Finally, our client extended our staying period in Sydney for another one week. He did it suddenly, without planning, which in result we didn't have any plan for the weekend. We also had to move to a new hotel because we couldn't extend our check out time. It had already been full booked. The new hotel room has no kitchen like the previous one but one thing that make me happy is it has National Geographic channel in it's TV. So I spent my weekend yesterday by watching it. There are many interesting story, from the story about Burj Dubai, the only 7 stars hotel in the world, until the story of Charles Darwin's voyage.
One that make me interested in was about the search for scientific Adam by Geneticist Spencer Wells. As we all know, in Christianity, Islam and Judaism, Adam is known as the father of all human. It means that he is the first mankind that God created. Long before Charles Darwin published his theory, people believed that based on The Book of Genesis, the age of universe might be around ten or twenty thousand years old. But then Darwin, in his Evolution theory, said that based on the blueprints in the fossils, the age of the earth might be million years old. And then he also said that human was not created as they look like now, but they are created as the result of evolution process from apes. It's simply contradictive with the Bible and in result, there are many people who cannot accept it.
Apart from who was right or wrong, this documentary movie try to take a middle way between the two theories. If the bible is right, then all the mankind must have one super ancestor, that is Adam. And if Darwin is right, all the mankind must have come from one creature that successfully survive and rule the world. That creature must be intelligent and can communicate each other, especially it's female, because just like Adam, he can communicate using a language with Eve.
The search was begun, the method was by examining one part of Y chromosome inside man's DNA. It is said that DNA is like a recorder and using it we can go back to the past to trace who our ancestor is. Like tree branches that basically come from one point, anyone of us must be come from one ancestor. To simplify the search, the Wells try to find anyone who has Genghis Khan's Y chromosome in his DNA. Why Genghis Khan? Well, because Genghis Khan is one of the greatest emperor from Mongolian Empire. During his rule, Mongol become one of the greatest empire on earth. He also has many children
that spread to any part of earth and for that reason, it is possible that his Y chromosome is also stay in anyone between us. It was also said that 1 of 12 men might be descendant from him. Then Wells went to San Francisco where there are 3 Mongolian men who claimed that their ancestor is Genghis Khan They also believed that all the Mongolians are Genghis Khan's descendant. So they were tested by taking their saliva and detect it's DNA using computer. The result was two of their claims are right. Because one of the claim is not right, so there must be another man who become the ancestor of the Mongolians beside Genghis Khan. Then the geneticist also tested a man who claimed that his ancestor is former American President. The man could prove his claim but the DNA said more than that. His DNA also said that one of the Jefferson's ancestor came from the land of Canaan. It means that Jefferson has Middle East blood. So Wells then continued his search to find someone who has an ancestor one of the greatest king in the Middle East: King Salomon. He actually found the men who claimed that they are King Salomon's descendant. But too bad, he had difficulty to find the King Salomon's DNA sample. But then, he got another clue: Adam, might be come from some place in Africa which is near to the Middle East.
Then Wells went to an island off the coast of Africa called Pate Island. It is said that the island has the most diversity among population of people. In the island, he tried to find a local tribe and test their DNA. There are also an artist that took a local people's skull and tried to give an idea what Adam's face looks like. Using skull as the base of the face image and then calculate the changes using computer, here is the Adam's face:
 |  |
Although the conclusion is still hard to be found, they assume that Adam might be a 'modern' human who come from a tribe in Africa. Because he is genius, he used some tools to find foods. He also taught his tribe how to use language to communicate each other. Because of that he became a chief of the tribe and popular among the girls. It's also possible that his descendant become a tribe's chief and brought the tribe to find another place outside Africa. A modern human here it means that the brain has well developed so it's completely different than another animal's especially apes.
Whatever the result is or no matter which is right between science and bible, there is one idea here. Either bible or science tells us that we are all brothers. All the human who live in this earth come from one father. So why there should be a war? Why people try to kill each other? Does the Cain and Abel story still continue? How long until we can live together in harmony? Well, too many questions to ask. But one thing should be remembered, because our ancestors can communicate each other and create a good relationship between them, so that they can conquer the nature and now we live here. That's what another creature can't do.
images were taken from
http://www.smh.com.au/ffxImage/urlpicture_id_1055220685821_2003/06/12/home_skull.jpg
http://www.google.com.au/images?q=tbn:KOe4jn06E3X_JM::www.crystalimagesinc.com/tl-michelangelo_sistine_chapel_adam_ca101.jpg
0 comments:
Post a Comment