3 ms·
No. Contrary to the sci-fi trope you occasionally see crop up, you could not make a sustainable human population starting from two people. The inbreeding would
by Analemma_ 8y ago
No. Contrary to the sci-fi trope you occasionally see crop up, you could not make a sustainable human population starting from two people. The inbreeding would render everyone sterile (and probably severely physically and intellectually disabled) after just a couple generations.
The actual number in the paper is 98, and even that probably wouldn't be a very healthy population of humans. Around 600, with significant initial diversity, is the number I've seen tossed around as the minimum number for a genetically healthy population.