In the Bible, specifically in the book of Genesis, there is a reference to a decrease in lifespan after the Great Flood. According to the Bible, before the flood, people lived for several hundred years, but after the flood, their lifespans dramatically decreased. While the Bible provides a religious explanation for this change, from a historical and scientific perspective, there are several theories that have been proposed to explain the decrease in lifespan after the flood.
2 theories
1. Genetic Bottleneck Theory:
One scientific theory suggests that the decrease in lifespan after the flood could be attributed to a genetic bottleneck. A genetic bottleneck occurs when a population is sharply reduced in size, leading to a limited gene pool.
After the flood, according to the Bible, only Noah and his family survived. This small population would have had limited genetic diversity, making them more susceptible to genetic mutations and diseases.
Over generations, these genetic factors could have led to a decrease in lifespan and overall vitality. Reduced genetic diversity can make a population more vulnerable to various environmental factors and diseases, potentially shortening lifespans.
2. Environmental Changes and Adaptation Theory:
Another theory proposes that significant environmental changes following the flood might have contributed to a decrease in lifespan. The flood, as described in the Bible, was a catastrophic event that would have caused massive geological and environmental transformations.
Changes in climate, food sources, and living conditions could have put stress on the human population. As humans adapted to these new conditions, they might have faced challenges in finding suitable food and clean water, and they could have been exposed to new diseases.
These environmental stressors, combined with the need for rapid adaptation, could have led to a decrease in lifespan over subsequent generations.
Neanderthals and Homo erectus had lifespans averaging around 30 to 40 years.
In the field of paleoanthropology, which studies human evolution, researchers primarily rely on fossil evidence and ancient remains to understand the lifespans of early humans. While there is no direct method to determine the exact lifespan of ancient humans, scientists use various techniques and indicators to estimate their longevity.
One common method is the analysis of teeth. By studying dental wear patterns, growth rates, and the presence of dental diseases, scientists can make inferences about the general health and diet of ancient humans. Additionally, the study of skeletal remains can provide insights into overall health, the presence of diseases, and signs of aging.
One notable example of early human longevity comes from the remains of Homo neanderthalensis, commonly known as Neanderthals. Neanderthals were a distinct human species that lived in Europe and parts of Asia until about 40,000 years ago. Studies of Neanderthal remains suggest that they often lived to be around 30 to 40 years old, although some individuals could reach older ages. While this might seem short by modern standards, it was relatively long given the challenges and risks present in their environment.
Additionally, research on Homo erectus, an early human species that lived around 1.9 million to 70,000 years ago, provides some insights into their lifespan. Based on fossil evidence and studies of ancient environments, scientists estimate that Homo erectus individuals also had lifespans averaging around 30 to 40 years.
It’s important to note that these estimates are based on available evidence and can vary among different populations and regions. Early humans faced various challenges, such as predation, diseases, and environmental hardships, which could have influenced their lifespans. While these studies provide valuable information, the exact lifespans of early humans remain a topic of ongoing research and discussion in the scientific community.
Creation and Flood stories
Athrahasis
The Atrahasis is an ancient Mesopotamian epic that contains a creation myth as well as a flood story. In the creation myth part of the epic, the gods create humans to be their servants. The story involves a series of events where humans multiply rapidly and become noisy, disturbing the god Enlil’s sleep. In response, the gods first attempt to control the human population through drought, famine, and plague. When these measures fail to reduce the noise, the god Enlil decides to send a great flood to wipe out humanity.
Atrahasis, the protagonist of the story, is warned about the flood by the god Enki, who instructs him to build an ark to save himself, his family, and pairs of animals. Atrahasis follows Enki’s instructions, survives the flood, and later offers sacrifices to the gods. In the end, humans are recreated to continue serving the gods.
The version of the epic that has survived is fragmented, but it does contain mentions of certain numerical values. One notable reference is to the period of 3,600 years during which the gods imposed hard labor on the Igigi. The text describes how the gods bore the noise and toil of humanity for this lengthy span of time.
Additionally, there are references to 2 periods of 600 years and 3 epochs.
The epochs could represent cosmic cycles or divine eras.
If the gods described in Athrasis are extraterrestrial, then could it be that an epoch refers to a synodic period? A synodic period refers to the time it takes for a celestial body (like a planet) to return to the same apparent position relative to the Sun and Earth. For example, the synodic period of Mars is about 780 days, meaning that Mars appears in the same position in the night sky approximately every 780 days as observed from Earth.
The Anunnaki are a group of deities in ancient Mesopotamian cultures. They appear in Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, and Assyrian myths, and are often depicted as a pantheon of gods and goddesses. Among the Anunnaki, two prominent figures are Enlil and Enki, who are considered major deities in the Sumerian pantheon.
The idea of Nibiru as a mysterious planet in our solar system that is home to the Anunnaki is a modern pseudoscientific concept that originated in the 20th century, popularized by individuals like Zecharia Sitchin. Sitchin claimed that Nibiru has an extremely long orbital period, ranging from 3,600 to 3,900 years.
Based on these years, the time between the creation story (creation of humans) and the flood is 12,000 years.
Based on the flood theory of Graham Hancock, a big flood happened around 10,500 BC, this put the creation of humans, not to be confused with the evolution of humans, at around 22,500 BCE.
This date corresponds with the recollection of past memories from Mathias de Stefano, stating that the Aessir (Anunnaki) arrived around 20,000 BCE.
Genesis
According to the genealogy provided in the Bible, the time between the Garden of Eden and the flood story with Noah is calculated through the ages of the individuals mentioned in the genealogy. The relevant genealogy can be found in the Book of Genesis, chapters 5 and 11.
The genealogy from Adam (the first man, according to the Bible) to Noah is as follows:
- Adam lived for 930 years.
- Seth, Adam’s son, lived for 912 years.
- Enosh, Seth’s son, lived for 905 years.
- Kenan, Enosh’s son, lived for 910 years.
- Mahalalel, Kenan’s son, lived for 895 years.
- Jared, Mahalalel’s son, lived for 962 years.
- Enoch, Jared’s son, lived for 365 years.
- Methuselah, Enoch’s son, lived for 969 years.
- Lamech, Methuselah’s son, lived for 777 years.
- Noah, Lamech’s son, lived for 950 years.
The flood is said to have occurred in Noah’s 600th year. If you add up the ages, starting with the birth of Adam to the birth of Noah, and then add Noah’s age at the time of the flood (600 years), the total time from the Garden of Eden to the flood is:
930+912+905+910+895+962+365+969+777+950+600 = 8,985 years.
Based on these years, the time between the creation story (creation of humans) and the flood is roughly 9,000 years.
Based on the flood theory of Graham Hancock, a big flood happened around 10,500 BC, this put the creation of humans, not to be confused with the evolution of humans, at around 22,500 BCE.
This date corresponds with the recollection of past memories from Mathias de Stefano, stating that the Aessir (Anunnaki) arrived around 20,000 BCE.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dnH9dWU-j8&ab_channel=GenesisApologetics
