I was reading today some DNA information...someone said that human DNA has over 4,000 flaws in it, and how can this be if evolution is survival of the fittest. It does pose an interesting question. If god created us, why so many flaws in our dna, and if we evolved, same question.
What is so strange about human DNA is that, unlike any other member of the animal kingdom, it contains 4,000 flaws, some of which are responsible for a range of genetic diseases. The theory of evolution is based on the survival of the fittest, not survival of the most genetically flawed.
here is what I found from medical sites:
Errors in our genes, our genetic material, are responsible for an estimated 3,000-4,000 hereditary diseases, including Huntington disease, cystic fibrosis, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. What's more, altered genes are now known to play a part in cancer, heart disease, diabetes and many other common diseases. Genetic flaws increase a person's risk of developing these more common and complex disorders. The diseases themselves stem from interactions of such genetic predispositions and environmental factors, including diet and lifestyle. Some experts estimate that half of all people will develop a disease that has a genetic component.
Where did that quote come from, Dan? It doesn't fit with what I know about biology. I'd bet you found it on a creationist web site. Basically, the errors in DNA are what evolution is all about. Every time there's a copying error there's a small chance that it will be an improvement. If it is, then it usually propagates rapidly through a species; if not, then it usually dies out fairly quickly, for reasons that should be obvious. Most, if not all, genetic diseases are recessive meaning that even if you're a carrier, chances are you won't have the disease. However, if you mate with another carrier there's a one in four chance that any child you have wil have the disease (a one in two chance that they'll be a carrier, and a one in four chance that they'll be completely clear.) That's probably one of the reasons there's such a taboo against incest, because it increases the likelihood of such diseases occurring. Some genetic diseases can have positive effects in carrier form, such as the sickle cell anemia gene, which protects against malaria.
-- Those who can induce you to believe absurdities can induce you to commit attrocities - Voltaire
