"THE GENETIC BOTTLENECK" - CORTEZ
Part 2/3 of "Out of Africa and Into the World"
The tropical rainforests of Indonesia. 75,000 years ago. After another long day, Bapak watches his family sleep.
Bapak: (to himself, tired) Well, another routine day is over. Another boar killed. Another swim in the river. Rain, rain, rain. (notices a wound on Gema) Oh poor child. Her brother must have roughed her up again. (frowns, then smiles) Let children be children I guess.
Bapak lies down.
Bapak: (smiles) At least we’re all safe. And happy. (proceeds to wake Ibu up)
Ibu: (sleepy) What is it, dear?
Bapak: Oh, nothing. It’s just that our children are growing up already. Soon they will find their own families. They’ll create their own tools, hunt their own food. I’m afraid I haven’t taught them well enough.
Ibu: Did you eat a bad fruit, dear? Stop saying that. You know better.
Bapak: I can’t sleep. Those are the things that go on in my head late at night.
Ibu: I’ll take the night shift then. Go to sleep.
Dogs bark in the distance. Bapak checks his surroundings. Dogs continue barking. The sky darkens.
Ibu: (to the children) Children, wake up.
Putra: Huh?
Gema: What’s going on?
The earth shakes. Animals retreat in their direction.
Bapak: (to himself) What on earth? (to his family) Stick together guys.
BOOM. Everyone goes deaf. Darkness covers the land.
Chaos.
The Toba eruption wiped out all wildlife in the area. The ash clouds caused a great winter. Food became scarce. Those who survived starved to death or migrated to Africa, which was unaffected.
Sources:
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-toba-catastrophe-theory.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/t/toba_catastrophe_theory.htm
