Comparing the Bible and Science - Adam and Eve

The bible tells us Adam was the first man and from one of his ribs God created Eve, the first woman. We all know this story, but is the biblical account accurate, or is it no more than a myth similar to the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy? What does science have to say about these two? Is there any scientific evidence concerning Adam and Eve, or must we rely totally on faith? For the believer faith is enough, but to the non-believer the apparent absence of scientific support is a stumbling block to opening themselves to God. This does not need to be the case.

Given the nature of the question it is understandable the science of archeology is unable to confirm the existence of a specific man and woman who the bible tells us lived approximately 6,000 years ago. This is not to say science is silent on the subject.

For the biblical account to be accurate all living humans would be required to be direct descendants of Adam and Eve. Is this the case, and if so, can it be proven? Is it possible to determine if all humans are related based on their DNA? In his article published in Nature M. Ingman describes his research involving Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). This strand of DNA is found only in women and according to Ingman's research can be accurately traced from generation to generation. Ingman discovered all current living human beings had a common female ancestor who lived approximately 170,000 years ago. This theoretical person was given the name of Mitochondrial Eve. In a second article in Nature RL Cann wrote concerning "Mitochondrial DNA and human evolution". Cann also found a common female ancestor, but his calculations showed she lived approximately 215,000 years ago. While the common ancestor fits with the biblical account, the time line remains far removed.

This all changed when advances in DNA research found that mtDNA mutated at a much faster rate than either Ingman or Cann were aware. SB Hedges presented new calculations based on this information in his article in Science magazine. Based on the new information Hedges calculations showed Mitochondrial Eve lived not 170,000 years ago, but approximately 6,000 years ago. These new calculations place the time line in almost total harmony with the biblical account. Does this new theory prove the existence of Adam and Eve? Unfortunately, as interesting and compelling as this evidence is, it does not constitute proof. It does however bring the biblical account well within the realm of possibility and potentially into the realm of probability.

Researchers point out they are not trying to say that Mitochondrial Eve was the only woman alive at the time. They believe she was a member of a much larger human community. It is their contention that for whatever reason none of the other women have any current living descendants. Through the years they either died childless, or their descendants died off in a variety of ways, leaving only the descendants of the one woman to carry on today. Billions of people living all around the world, and none of them are surviving relatives of any of the women except Mitochondrial Eve. A very interesting theory, and one worth careful consideration.

While the bible was never intended as a history or science text book, the events, people and places mentioned in the bible are slowly but surely being confirmed by science, archeology, and other historical data. For the open minded, science is breaking down many of the barriers holding back the non-believers. Question all things, retain that which is good.

Sources
1. Ingman M. - Nature 408 - "Mitochondrial genome variation and the origin of modern humans."
2. Cann RL. - Nature 325 - "Mitochondrial DNA and human evolution."
3. Hedges SB. - Science 255 - "Human origins and analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences."