When scientists discover a new species of human based on one fossil, how do they know it wasn’t just one genetic freak?
In: Biology
What is a genetic freak?
Mutations happen randomly, but a single mutation doesn’t make a new species, more like thousands of mutations. Also many mutations prevent ever being born, because they break some mechanism that is required to grow in the womb.
The chance that one single individual has many mutations his parents didn’t (and he makes it to adult life) is extremely small. Think about dropping a box of parts and them randomly assembling a working mechanic watch.
Or another good methaphor is “blindly changing random letters in a book and making a new one that makes sense”
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