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NEWTON Home Page NEWTON Teachers Visit Our Archives Ask A Question How To Ask A Question Question of the Week Our Expert Scientists Volunteer at NEWTON! Frequently Asked Questions Referencing NEWTON About NEWTON About Ask A Scientist Education At Argonne An infinite number of ancestors? Cannot be 
Name: unterman
Status: N/A
Age: N/A
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: Around 1995
Question:
I have two parents, four grandparents, eight grandparents, etc. By the time I get 27 generations back, it is more than the population of the earth, yet we all go farther back than that. Please explain how my ancestor tree must narrow down instead of expanding infinitely.

Replies:
An assumption in your analysis is that all the ancestors in your tree are distinct. That is, your great-great-great-great grandfather on your father's side is not the same person as your great-great-great-great-great grandfather on your father's side. The mathematics and the population size on earth shows that there are indeed many duplications in yours and every body else's family tree. It may be necessary to go back quite a few genera- tions to find the duplication but it WILL be there.

chaffer


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