Human Chromosome Number 2

Frequently I have been challenged on my view considering evolution. Some by strangers, some by friends. I have often had to defend my stance on the subject and enjoy doing so as I always learn something new.
One of those things came while I was studying the subject of human evolution. A highly controversial subject itself indeed. Here is one of my favorite points on the subject.

The comment from disagreeing party is often this, “Evolution says man evolved from ape! How can you believe that! (Outrage!)”.
I was ,in the beginning, uncertain of how to respond. So like any good student I began to study the topic to get a better understanding. Among the many things I learned one rang out as a particular favorite; and it comes in the form of Human Chromosome number 2.

So as the argument wrongly assumes, ‘That man evolved FROM ape’, is what evolution teaches. That isn’t further from the truth. First off let’s point out that Evolution does NOT set out to establish how life began. It DOES, however, set out to determine how we achieved such variety in flora and fauna. Also. The term Evolutionary Theory does NOT have the same meaning as Theory. Evolutionary Theory is a Scientific Theory. These are made up of Scientific Laws not vice-a-versa. This is not the same as your theory on the next LOST episode.
Now, back to the topic at hand. Human Chromosome #2.
We all (should) know and understand the role that our chromosomes play in our very life. They are part of the very fabric that we are made of.
Humans, as we all learned in grade school (I hope), have 23 pairs of chromosomes.
Great apes, (chimps, orangutan, gorillas etc.) Have 24.

HA!! Humans didn’t evolve from apes!!

Yes we know. Believe it or not we didn’t. Instead, we all shared a Common Ancestor. Creatures similar to Australopithecus, or Neanderthal for a start.
Now. What about this Human Chromosome #2 though?

Great apes have 24 chromosomes. Humans have 23 right? Right. So humans are missing one. Therefore evolution is wrong! Nope.

Missing a chromosome isn’t a simple thing. Chromosomes don’t just go missing. That would be really REALLY bad. Most times that would mean no viable embryo would even achieve. But yet we still have the discrepancy.
That’s where Human Chromosome 2 comes into play. If chromosomes don’t just go missing then where did our #24 go?
The answer to that question came after we successfully sequenced the Human Genome.
We all have seen pictures of chromosomes…I hope… what we see is a makeup of what are called Tellomeres on each end and a centromere in the middle. As it should be.
So if chromosomes don’t go missing yet humans are lacking one the apes have what happened? Human Chromosome #2 happened.
Burried in our genetic makeup was found a special chromosome. This chromosome in humans was unlike any of its other known family. Instead of the Tellomeres on the ends and one centromere in the middle this one had a tellomere on each end. Then TWO centromeres separated by a bonding of tellomeres in the center. And that is where our lost chromosome went. Why we have 23 and the great apes have 24. Human Chromosome Number 2.

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