If you extend the math to 36 generations you end up with 34 billion 359 million 738368 grandparents. Using 20 or 30 years per generation this is only 720 to 1080 years back. It is clear that there have not been 34 billion people over that period. Today there are only about 6 billion, and at the beginning of the 20th century there were one billion. There is something in the population math as experts use it which shows that the simple math does not really apply.. I think it has to do with the fact that these gransparents aren't just our grandparents, but other people's grandparents too, and that you get into crossrelationships which reduces the numbers. This doubling is the same issue as when someone asks for the very humble payment in rice or grain for each square of the chessboard, beginning with one, and doubling it on each square. It works on the chessboard, but with people there are additional dynamics and issues, and as 34 billion shows, the math leads to absurd results. Maybe someone has a scientific explanation for why the math doesn't work with people. Knut W. Barde Donna wrote: > Hello Fellow Listers: > > Have you ever sat down and actually figured out how many grandparents > and ancestors you have??? I often times will ask someone if they truely > realize just how many persons it took to "get you"!!!!! Do you know??? > > This was sent through the Cumberland County, PA. List... > > > How Many Ancestors Do You Have? > > > > 1 1 YOU > > 2 2 parents > > 3 4 grandparents > > 4 8 great grandparents > > 5 16 gg grandparents > > 6 32 ggg grandparents > > 7 64 gggg grandparents > > 8 128 ggggg grandparents > > 9 256 gggggg grandparents > > 10 512 ggggggg grandparents > > 11 1,024 gggggggg grandparents > > 12 2,048 ggggggggg grandparents > > 13 4,096 gggggggggg grandparents > > 14 8,192 ggggggggggg grandparents > > 15 16,184 gggggggggggg grandparents > > 16 32,768 ggggggggggggg grandparents > > 17 65,536 gggggggggggggg grandparents > > 18 131,072 ggggggggggggggg grandparents > > 19 262,144 gggggggggggggggg grandparents > > 20 524,288 ggggggggggggggggg grandparents > > 21 1,048,576 gggggggggggggggggg grandparents > > 22 2,097,152 ggggggggggggggggggg grandparents