Is it true that the human race almost went extinct, then came back?

Question

I remember reading in grade school that this happened maybe 3 times. I'm not talking about the different evolutionary stages of man that led to separate species altogether. Does anyone have more information on this?

Answer 1

Yes, that's true.

My understanding is that somewhere between 100,000 to 70,000 years ago, humans nearly went extinct. As to why this is, no one is sure, but the evidence for the event - what is called a genetic bottleneck - is in our DNA.

First of all, all humans are extremely similar genetically. Much more similar to one another than, say, chimps are to one another. This is striking because, whereas there are billions of humans on the planet, there are only thousands of chimps.

Second, studies of human mitochondrial DNA, which is only passed through the mother's side and mutates slowly, have been interpreted as suggesting that all human beings are the progeny of, perhaps, seven women, the so-called "daughters of Eve" (which is a science joke, and not a sincere religious reference).

These points, taken with what we know about the rate of mutation, indicates that the human population decreased drastically at some point in the past hundred thousand years, and then somehow managed to come back. What caused it? Who knows . . . disease? Meteor? Good ol' natural competition with other species?

Answer 2

Wacko ethno-centric historical theories aside (much of the rest of the world was doing ok while Europe was in trouble then), there is some evidence that humankind faced a near-extinction event some 70,000 years ago, when a large meteor hit the earth. Things got cold and dark, like we'd expect from an event like that. This created a population bottleneck, knocking down the worldwide number of people to around 11,000 or so.

So it was a close call, but like I said, there is "some" evidence. Not everyone is convinced. What I've read about it seems reasonable, anyway.

Answer 3

honestly, we are utilizing nonrenewables up at a speedier %. than we are able to locate replacements for them. what's left is going to be extra intense priced to extract & contained when it comes to coal, often poorer high quality. That become infrequently a prediction, although, you've were given really the awl to grind, as do many especially forums. And, a lot of human beings die from air pollutants each and every 3 hundred and sixty 5 days. Land degradation retains at an alarming cost. Species extinction retains. And the opportunities are very strong that you your self received't ought to experience the effects of all of this residing probable contained in the U.S. yet in some extra generations various the U.S. heavily isn't so tremendous both, & perchance you need to be being concerned for those human beings somewhat more advantageous than you sound like you do.

Answer 4

Some great answers from those couple guys already...they do a good job. The proof is indeed in the DNA.

I will add that to say that the human population went nearly extinct maybe dramatic, given that the hunter/gatherer population may have hovered in between 15,000-50,000 for thousands of years. During this time, humans deliberately held the population down (including the practice of infanticide) in order to sustain their way of life, which was probably pretty good considering the suspected lack of disease, warfare, and competition for resources). It then wasn't until agriculture set in (12,000 y.a.) that population really started to boom, and so did the problems that we associate with large groups of humanity.

Answer 5

Wacko Religious BS aside, the human race nearly faced extinction during the time of Rennaisance. At the time the entire world was 'off their rocker' warring with one another, many convicting and burning people they thought were witches. Society as a whole was in shambles. Many were being killed senselessly and the rest lived poorly with little money and little food for survival. No developments were made in technology. This lasted for quite a while and the human race faced extinction. Than, miracuously, it just came to a stop. The human race got back on track and it led up to now.

That's the only time I know of. World War 1 and 2 could've stood as potential extinction factors, but we never actually came close to extinction in either situation (except the Jewish and German population did take a severe cut.)

Answer 6

Yes when God Gave Noah the ability to build the Ark that was a humongus boat to hold his family and a male and a female of each animal and insects and all those kinds of things so that they could help build the world all over again because it rained all over the whole earth for 40 days and 40 nights and that destroyed
everything

Answer 7

it was around the 70's disco era.