Originally posted by Maslo

Originally posted by JPhish


That's terrible logic . . .

We could share 98% of our DNA with aliens from another solar system for all you know.

All life in the universe could share the same/similar DNA.

No, because altough we share 98 % of our DNA sequences with chimps, we share much less DNA with other lifeforms.

That's weak inductive reasoning. We could very well share 98% of our DNA with Martians.

The best logical explanation is that we are related.

That's a straw man, i never said that we weren't related. Try reading more carefully next time.

Originally posted by JPhish

That's weak inductive reasoning. We could very well share 98% of our DNA with Martians.

Yes, we could. And that would strongly imply that those Martians evolved on Earth and then went to live on Mars.

It is very improbable that alien life in the universe could have almost the same DNA as humans, when there is much variety even down here, on Earth.

Originally posted by Maslo

Originally posted by JPhish

That's weak inductive reasoning. We could very well share 98% of our DNA with Martians.

Yes, we could. And that would strongly imply that those Martians evolved on Earth and then went to live on Mars.

But it could also imply the inverse via Panspermia. Don't be so quick to limit the possibilities. There are many more than what you are considering.

It is very improbable that alien life in the universe could have almost the same DNA as humans, when there is much variety even down here, on Earth.

Not if all life in the universe has the same DNA . . .

Let's put it this way . . .

If you believe the universe infinite (time & space) and it's nature cyclical, it's actually a FACT that at least one planet at one point in time did, does or will have lifeforms with the exact same DNA as us.

[edit on 1/1/2010 by JPhish]

We share 96% of our DNA with dogs and 90% with mice. That's a lot of diversity in a small percentage difference. Doesn't sound so far-fetched to me. A little gene splicing goes a long way. Maybe they even terraformed a garden of Eden for their new creations.

Originally posted by Crito
We share 96% of our DNA with dogs and 90% with mice.

Human genome size = 3 billion base pairs
Dog genome size = 2,5 billion base pairs

How could we possible share 96 % of our DNA with dogs? It might be, that we for example share 96 % of our protein encoding genes (don't know, not going to bother to check), but even that doesn't mean that they're identical. It would simply mean that they're not massively different (otherwise we couldn't say that they are of same origin). Of course protein encoding genes are just a tiny part of total mammal genomes..

[edit on 2-8-2010 by rhinoceros]

What an unexpected surprise! I actually thought that this thread was going to contain mostly humor for entertainment's sake alone. Show's you how much I know. Thanks from me goes out to the "in the know" heavy weights that stepped forward with some seriously killer food for thought. Good stuff!

I personally take the guided evolution in the form of intentional tampering line of guess work reasoning. Evolution is pretty obvious with due respect for the Darwinian school of thought, HOWEVER, no matter how you slice it, there are still questions that came down to conclusions based in preference and prerogative rather than absolutes. In short, there is a required amount of faith one must accept and execute in order to give evolution it's "no two ways about it" factual basis.

im pretty sure greys could do a lot better than chimps in my honest opinion