Deleterious Mutations

Mutations Overall  Deleterious
Conservative 4.2  1.6
Realistic 6.7 3.1

"The deleterious mutation rate appears to be so high in humans and our close relatives that it is doubtful that such species, which have low reproductive rates, could survive if mutational effects on fitness were to combine in a multiplicative way."

Eyre-Walker, A. & Keightley, P. D. 1999. High genomic deleterious mutation rates in hominids. Nature 397: 344-347.

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Slide 43 of 109


Evolutionists are faced with a serious problem in explaining how hominids could have evolved given their high rate for accumulation of deleterious mutations, and their extremely low reproductive rates. How do these harmful mutations get removed as one species evolves into another? If evolution is correct, then the hominids should have become extinct many millions of year ago, due to the accumulation of these bad mutations.


References Top of page

  1. Eyre-Walker, A. & Keightley, P. D. 1999. High genomic deleterious mutation rates in hominids. Nature 397: 344-347.


Last Modified June 21, 2006