Recent gene research suggests that the entire human species could have sprung from a single pair of forebears, a parallel with the biblical Adam and Eve. Scientists tracked mitochondrial DNA and the Y chromosome—maternal and paternal lineage markers—back to the individuals who populated the earth around 200,000 years ago.

The findings, “Mitochondrial Eve” and “Y-chromosome Adam,” place both contemporaries, reigniting new controversy over the origin of humanity.

Biologist Dr. Joshua Swamidass thinks science does not rule out the possibility that there was one primeval ancestral couple. While not indicating they were lone humans, he thinks all modern people may trace their origins back to such a duo.

The biblical Eden can also be matched with real places like Mesopotamia or even the Kalahari Desert of Africa, based on archaeological and genetic evidence. These findings are redefining the controversy between science and religion, offering a fresh explanation of the origins of humanity.