Would you have a second wife?

[Peter Ahlstrom]

Well, that's fairly easily proven false through genealogy. But I did read a quote just now that says "It is almost certain that we are all at least 27th cousins."

[Patriotic Kaz]

The chances of mutation are no higher in incest than in normal offspring... the only danger is bad recessives

Edit: actualy i take that back the psychological damage is possible because if you break up divorce ect. it's still your family

[Eerongal]

Well, that's fairly easily proven false through genealogy. But I did read a quote just now that says "It is almost certain that we are all at least 27th cousins."

That may be what I'm thinking of. may have just got the number wrong (i was shooting from memory)

Interesting read I came across while trying to verify/disprove my earlier statement:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitochondrial_Eve

Edit:

The chances of mutation are no higher in incest than in normal offspring... the only danger is bad recessives

Edit: actualy i take that back the psychological damage is possible because if you break up divorce ect. it's still your family

Most "mutations" are the result of dominant recessive genes all ready existing within a germline. In fact, technically, every variation between all people is technically a "mutation", but we don't refer to the normal dominant traits as such, just the bad, undesirable ones.

[Patriotic Kaz]

A mutation as i understand it is when a cell reproduces incorrectly differing from the genetic code, and there are harmless mutations out there

[Eerongal]

A mutation as i understand it is when a cell reproduces incorrectly differing from the genetic code, and there are harmless mutations out there

actually, any differing of DNA from one generation to the next is a mutation. Evolution is a series of beneficial mutations. Everything that causes someone to turn out (genetically) different from someone else is a mutation, be it favorable, unfavorable, or purely cosmetic

Usually people think of mutation as the incorrect sequencing of DNA from reproduction, but this is only one *TYPE*.

All geneticly passed diseases are mutations, and if they don't always show up, are recessive.

Mental retardation can be a genetic mutation (though there are certainly other types).

However, your assessment is correct in and of less variation in the gene pool will cause recessive genes to be more common, as the dominant genes slowly get culled.


Basically, all variations in DNA were "Mutations" at some point, but many now are so commonplace we don't question it

[The Jade Knight]

I don't think most geneticists would accept your definition, Eerongal.  Yes, all genetic variation was once mutations, but what was once a mutation is no longer a mutation once it has become an allele passed through one's genes.

[Writerainge]

Uh... I have a husband... but I think I want a wife too.  Only one though, the bed would get crowded after that.