Is A Tree Related To Me?
树跟人类是近亲？
Last time we talked about the false belief that evolutionary theory says human beings descended from monkeys.
In fact, evolution says that both human beings and monkeys descended from a common ancestor that existed about thirty million years ago. Across time, species can give rise to other species, which can in turn give rise to others.
So, while it’s not true that human beings evolved from monkeys, if you stretch your thinking you can see how monkeys can be considered relatives of ours.
After all, I call someone my cousin if she and I have a common ancestor. If we could keep records across millions of years, we might want to count monkeys and apes as our cousins too.
But wait a minute! If that’s true, then aren’t we also related to the ancestors of that common ancestor? I mean, my cousin and I both share a grandparent. But the family tree doesn’t stop there. We also share that grandparent’s grandparents. What about the species that diverged to give rise to the common ancestor of monkeys and humans?
If you see where this is leading, you’ll have understood something rather wonderful about life on earth. In fact, if you take the longest possible perspective — now looking back about four billion years — you will find that every life form on earth is related to every other. We all share common ancestors, because all life came from the first self-reproducing, single-celled organism that existed in the oceans of primal earth.
Yes, that tree outside is your relative, as is every bug and blade of grass. Invite them in for dinner, why don’t you?
上次我们谈论到了关于人类进化论的错误观念：人类是猴子演变而来的。
其实，进化论阐述的是人类和猴子都是同一个祖先的后裔。而这个祖先存在于三千万年前。斗转星移，物种会产生其他的物种，这样依次发展又会产生别的不同物种。
因此，尽管人类从猴子演变而来不是真的，但如果你发散思维，就会明白为什么会说猴子是我们的近亲。
终究，我把和我有共同祖先的人叫做表兄妹。假如我们能够备存纪录数百万年之久，可能我们会把猴子和猿也视作表兄妹。
且慢！如果真的是这样，那我们的祖先不是也有着共同祖先？我的意思是，我和我的表姐是同一个祖母。但是家族谱并不会止于此。我们也是同一个曾曾曾祖母。而那些分散发展成猴子和人类共同祖先的物种呢？
如果想知道哪儿是起头，就得明白和地球生物有关的一些非常奇妙的事情。实际上，如果你从长远的角度来看的话——回顾到四十亿年前，你就会发现地球上的所有生物都是息息相关的。我们有着共同的祖先，因为所有的生命都来源于原始地球上第一个存在于海洋中自我复制的单细胞有机体。
是的，外面那棵树是你的亲戚。同样的，所有的虫子和青草都是。邀请它们共进晚餐吧！为什么不呢？ |