Genetic Discontinuity and the "Reset" of Life

In 2018, Mark Stoeckle and David Thaler published a landmark study titled "Why should mitochondria define species?" in the journal Human Evolution. Their research, based on the analysis of five million "DNA barcodes" (specifically the COI gene) across 100,000 animal species, revealed a startling pattern: nearly 90% of animal species alive today have roughly the same level of mitochondrial genetic diversity.

The study concludes that these species ranging from humans to house sparrows emerged or underwent a massive population expansion from a state of "mitochondrial uniformity" approximately 100,000 to 200,000 years ago. For those seeking to reconcile modern genetics with the biblical narrative of Genesis and the Flood, this study provides a fascinating scientific anchor for the concepts of bottlenecks, universal floods, and the geographic distribution of life.

1. The 90% Bottleneck and Noah's Ark

Stoeckle and Thaler found that the lack of genetic "noise" within species implies they haven't been around long enough to accumulate much variation, or that a catastrophic event recently "reset" their genetic clocks. In a biblical context, this mirrors the Noahic Bottleneck.

If 90% of animal kinds passed through a severe population reduction down to a single pair or a small group their mitochondrial DNA would be "pruned" to a single sequence. As they multiplied, they would accumulate "neutral" mutations at a steady rate. The 2018 study effectively shows that 90% of the animal kingdom looks like it started its current genetic "timer" at the same time. The study's timeline (100k–200k years) is consistent with old earth models. The pattern of a near-simultaneous, kingdom-wide bottleneck is exactly what one would expect if a massive event like a large universal Flood had occurred.

2. The 10% Outside the Ark: "Universal" vs. "Global"

One of the most intriguing aspects of the study is the 10% of species that did not fit the recent bottleneck pattern. These include certain types of migratory birds and some insects that show much older, deeper genetic histories.

This squares with a Universal Flood model (as opposed to a Global one). If the Flood was "universal" in its impact on the world of "Adam" (humanity) and the animals "with them" (domesticated or local fauna), it may not have required the near destruction of every single organism on the planet's surface.

• Migratory Species: Many of the "10%" are animals that could survive a flood event outside an ark, high-flying birds, deep-sea creatures, or certain insects.

• Geographic Isolation: If the Flood was a "Universal" event centered on the Mesopotamian basin and the expansion of the human population, the "kinds" inside that sphere would show a sharp 100,000-year bottleneck (the 90%). Meanwhile, species already dispersed to the Americas or Australia (the 10%) might have been spared the "reset" of the Ark, allowing their genetic clocks to remain much older.

3. The Human-Animal Proximity

The study highlights that humans are not "special" in their genetic diversity; we have the same low variation as most other animals. This suggests that whatever "hit" the animals also hit us.

In the Genesis narrative, the "kinds" created in Chapter 1 were often defined by their relationship to man (behemah or livestock, and remes or creeping things). Before the Flood, these animals lived in close proximity to human settlements. When the "fountains of the great deep" broke open, this human-animal ecological sphere was decimated.

4. Reconciling the Timelines

Critics often point to the "100,000 years" as a debunking of the Bible. However, the rate of the "molecular clock" might be interpreted differently. If mitochondrial mutation rates are faster than currently assumed as some recent studies in pedigrees suggest the 100,000-year date could contract significantly toward the biblical window.

Summary of the Synthesis

• The 90%: Represents the "Kinds" that were within the sphere of the Flood, undergoing a massive bottleneck and a subsequent "reset" of their genetic barcodes.

• The 10%: Represents the "Residue" of life species outside the Mesopotamian/Human theater of judgment that maintained their ancient genetic diversity.

• Universal, not Global: The study supports a model where the "world" of the narrative was the "world" of the participants, allowing for a devastating bottleneck for most species without requiring the total biological erasure of the entire globe.