Letting the Khan Cat out of The Bag

[Bill Thompson]

One out of every 200 men on earth is descended from Gingus Khan. This is known because the Y chromosome is passed directly from father to son without changing.

So, wait a second. I did not take High School Biology. So maybe someone could fill me in on this. Does this also prove that it is impossible for humankind to have descended from a single male and female pair?

If the Adam and Eve fable were even remotely true in this small part, then all male humans on Earth would have the same Y chromosome, right?

[Gwyn ap Nudd]

One out of every 200 men on earth is descended from Gingus Khan. This is known because the Y chromosome is passed directly from father to son without changing.
Having the same y-chromosome does not prove actual descent, just relatedness. Just as two random living men with the Kahn's "y" are most likely not father and son, but merely co-descendents of the Kahn, one living man with the same "y" might be not descended from the Kahn, but from a brother or cousin of the Kahn.
So, wait a second. I did not take High School Biology. So maybe someone could fill me in on this. Does this also prove that it is impossible for humankind to have descended from a single male and female pair?

If the Adam and Eve fable were even remotely true in this small part, then all male humans on Earth would have the same Y chromosome, right?
There is a known rate of mutation in y-chromosome DNA --and mitochondrial DNA which is passed in unbroken succession from mothers to daughters. This has allowed scientists to study the migration patterns of early tribes.

A quick overview of the subject can be found in the following Wikipedia articles:
Y-Chromosomal Adam (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y-chromosomal_Adam); Mitochondrial Eve (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitochondrial_Eve); Daughters of Eve (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seven_Daughters_of_Eve)

[kleinjahr]

Been reading Before the Dawn, haven't you?

[IllegalArgument]

Or Adam's Curse.