- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Everyone alive today has had a living ancestor at every point in history
Posted on 3/7/18 at 7:25 am
Posted on 3/7/18 at 7:25 am
Going back to the very beginning of time.
Every person alive has one biological mother and one biological father. Four biological grandparents. Eight biological great-grandparents. Sixteen biological great-great grandparents, and so on all the way back.
So the number of living ancestors you had living on Earth at a given time can be expressed as 2 to the power of g where g equals the number of generations back you want to go.
But wait. If you conservatively estimate that there are 5 generations per century, going back 600 years or 2^30, you'd have had 1,073,741,824 living ancestors on Earth in 1418.
But the entire population of Earth then was only about half that. How can this possibly be?
Every person alive has one biological mother and one biological father. Four biological grandparents. Eight biological great-grandparents. Sixteen biological great-great grandparents, and so on all the way back.
So the number of living ancestors you had living on Earth at a given time can be expressed as 2 to the power of g where g equals the number of generations back you want to go.
But wait. If you conservatively estimate that there are 5 generations per century, going back 600 years or 2^30, you'd have had 1,073,741,824 living ancestors on Earth in 1418.
But the entire population of Earth then was only about half that. How can this possibly be?
Posted on 3/7/18 at 7:27 am to LSUTigersVCURams
quote:
you'd have had 1,073,741,824 living ancestors on Earth in 1418.
What?
quote:
But the entire population of Earth then was only about half that. How can this possibly be?
Your math and reasoning are incredibly wrong.
This post was edited on 3/7/18 at 7:30 am
Posted on 3/7/18 at 7:27 am to LSUTigersVCURams
OP’s ancestors were gay
but back then that meant happy.
but back then that meant happy.
This post was edited on 3/7/18 at 7:28 am
Posted on 3/7/18 at 7:28 am to LSUTigersVCURams
Because people had more than 1 kid, genius.
Posted on 3/7/18 at 7:28 am to LSUTigersVCURams
Jesus, dude. It's too early for this shite.
Posted on 3/7/18 at 7:29 am to LSUTigersVCURams
If a woman has only sons, she is the first of her line going back to the beginning of the species to not have a daughter
Posted on 3/7/18 at 7:29 am to LSUTigersVCURams
You can 1/2 that numbers in the proximity of Tuscaloosa
Posted on 3/7/18 at 7:29 am to LSUTigersVCURams
I do wonder about my ancestors back to the ancient times. My dad has tracked it back to the 1700s in certain aspects. But it would be awesome to like flip on a tv and check out anyone who is your ancestor at any moment in their life. I’m sure some have had some interesting experiences, life’s, deaths....
frick it. We need Assassins creed in real life
frick it. We need Assassins creed in real life
Posted on 3/7/18 at 7:29 am to terd ferguson
I think he is getting at the idea of huge ancient populations being wiped out because of ancient internet, social media, meteors, and volcanoes.
Posted on 3/7/18 at 7:30 am to terd ferguson
quote:
Because people had more than 1 kid, genius.
No, he's taking the total number of ancestors you have in your family tree and thinking they were all alive in the 1400s at the same time.
Posted on 3/7/18 at 7:31 am to LSUTigersVCURams
I only thought I was confused this AM, I’m sure of it now....
Posted on 3/7/18 at 7:31 am to TH03
The 1400’s were called the dark ages for a reason.
The reformation was the first white flight.
The reformation was the first white flight.
Posted on 3/7/18 at 7:31 am to TH03
quote:
No, he's taking the total number of ancestors you have in your family tree and thinking they were all alive in the 1400s at the same time.
I just realized that... every one of my ancestors is immortal.
Posted on 3/7/18 at 7:32 am to LSUTigersVCURams
quote:
But wait. If you conservatively estimate that there are 5 generations per century, going back 600 years or 2^30, you'd have had 1,073,741,824 living ancestors on Earth in 1418.
You aren't accounting for the Alabama Grandpa-Daddy effect.
ETA...pedigree collapse...
This post was edited on 3/7/18 at 7:36 am
Posted on 3/7/18 at 7:32 am to LSUTigersVCURams
Distant relatives marry all the time.
Posted on 3/7/18 at 7:33 am to LSUTigersVCURams
Pretty sure biologists use F to represent generations, baw.
Posted on 3/7/18 at 7:33 am to LSUTigersVCURams
shite you went deep with that one
Posted on 3/7/18 at 7:35 am to LSUTigersVCURams
How many points does history have?
Posted on 3/7/18 at 7:36 am to LSUTigersVCURams
quote:
you'd have had 1,073,741,824 living ancestors on Earth in 1418.
Your family tree might have that many leaves at the end of the branches but some of them might be the same person. Or maybe a grandmother on one side and a grandfather on the other side were cousins. In fact that wasn't uncommon at all "back in the day".
Posted on 3/7/18 at 7:36 am to theunknownknight
quote:
I think he is getting at the idea of huge ancient populations being wiped out because of ancient internet, social media, meteors, and volcanoes.
Let's not forget Global Warming
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News