The Odds of You | Teen Ink

The Odds of You

December 22, 2014
By CNBono17 SILVER, Rural, South Carolina
CNBono17 SILVER, Rural, South Carolina
5 articles 0 photos 248 comments

Favorite Quote:
Lego ergo sum (Latin—I read, therefore, I am)
The pen is mightier than the sword—unknown
Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity—1 Timothy 4:12


Many people think they are here by accident. I challenge those who think that to keep reading and do some research; math says otherwise.


You are unique. There is no one else on the planet who is exactly like you. Even identical twins, who technically have the same genetic code, have different fingerprints and slightly different personalities. And unless you are an identical twin, your DNA is unlike any other person’s. You are different from any other person who is living, has lived in the past, or will live in the future. And if a single letter in your genetic code were different, you would be a different person.


A healthy woman’s ovaries have roughly 400,000 eggs. Each has a different genetic code. Likewise, a healthy man will produce, in his lifetime, between 40 million and 1.8 billion sperm cells. Again, each is different, and has a different genetic code. So the odds of your parents producing you, assuming they both have a healthy reproductive system, would be, at best, 1 in 16,000,000,000,000, or 1 in 16 trillion.


In addition, there were 7.125 billion people in the world as of 2013; the number has grown by now. Taking that number, the odds of your parents having a child—not you, but any child—is 1 in 50,765,625,000,000,000,000, or 1 in roughly 50 quintillion (1 quintillion=1x10^18). Now, the odds of that particular man and woman having YOU are roughly 1 in 800 nonillion, or 1 in 800,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (1 nonillion=1x10^30).


This infinitesimal number isn’t even taking into account the fact that you were born at the time you were; there were how many thousands of years you could have been born into? It doesn’t take into account the odds of your parents being born, or their parents before them. They were just as unlikely as you are. Also, your surroundings determine who you are. What are the odds of your being raised the way you were, in the place you were, with your exact genetic code? What are the odds of you being you? Next to impossible, that’s what they are.


And people affect you, as well. What are the odds of you living and interacting with the people you interact with? Not just one of them; all of them. They are just as unlikely as you, but on top of that, what are the odds that you are all together, in this particular time and place in the entire universe in Earth’s entire history, with your particular background?


David says in Psalm 139: 13-14, "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” In the song “Here for a Reason,” by Ashes Remain, the lyrics say,

"Every breath that you take has meaning
You are here for a reason”

In another, “Made,” by Hawk Nelson,

"You're beautiful, wonderful
Perfectly made, perfectly made
You're meant to be what you see
You're not a mistake, not a mistake
Brighter than stars that shine
You light up the Maker's eyes
And you'd believe if you could see
The smile on His face
The moment you were made”

 

A line from VeggieTales says it the best: “God made you special, and he loves you very much.”


The odds are against you. So why are you here? Winning the lottery looks like a surefire deal compared to you. Unless, of course, there’s a third party who stepped in to make sure you turned out the way you did.


Still think you’re an accident?

 

Sources:
http://www.drstandley.com/bodysystems_femalerepro.shtml
http://www.open.edu/openlearn/nature-environment/natural-history/sperm-counts
World Bank
http://math.about.com/od/glossaryofterms/a/zeros.htm
Holy Bible, NIV
Ashes Remain, “Here For a Reason,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb9Y_3O2tlQ
Hawk Nelson, “Made,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGwd8ru2TC8
VeggieTales, Big Idea Productions


The author's comments:

Romans 1:16: I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.


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This article has 16 comments.


on Sep. 29 2016 at 7:00 pm
the-mormon-introvert GOLD, Alpine, Utah
11 articles 0 photos 22 comments

Favorite Quote:
Even when the dark comes crashing through, When you need a friend to carry you, And when you're broken on the ground, You will be found
--Evan Hansen, Dear Evan Hansen

This is so true! I love how you tie your work back to the importance of religion. That's definitely something we need more of in the world.

on May. 4 2016 at 9:31 pm
ThrillQueen126, Seattle, Washington
0 articles 0 photos 46 comments
That really made me think, and was actually quite inspiring. Awesome article!

on Oct. 8 2015 at 3:09 pm
simplyinferior GOLD, Ottawa, Illinois
15 articles 0 photos 23 comments
This is extremely interesting and quite amazing to think about. Keep up the good work :)

on Oct. 8 2015 at 10:08 am
CNBono17 SILVER, Rural, South Carolina
5 articles 0 photos 248 comments

Favorite Quote:
Lego ergo sum (Latin—I read, therefore, I am)
The pen is mightier than the sword—unknown
Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity—1 Timothy 4:12

Thank you so much, and God bless!

on Oct. 7 2015 at 6:59 pm
TroyChitt SILVER, Gresham, Oregon
5 articles 9 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
"You're crazy!" -Alaina, my best friend

Reading this was very interesting, learning about the odds of my birth. This was inspiring, as it made me remember that my life is worth keeping as there is nobody else like me. I certainly enjoyed reading this and will check out your other pieces soon.

on Feb. 8 2015 at 4:19 pm
BreeZephyr SILVER, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
7 articles 0 photos 84 comments

Favorite Quote:
“In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him...it's impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves.” - Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game

This was interesting. As a Christian myself who's also very interested in math and science, it's nice to see your examples of how religion, math, and science support each other--people think that science is totally separate from Christianity, but that's simply impossible. For example, I want to be a doctor and I think a lot about how complex the human body is. There are specialists for EVERYTHING. As my dad likes to say, there's even such a thing as (sorry to be a little crude here, but I'm making a point) a proctologist. A proctologist! A doctor that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders affecting the rectum and the anus! And a residency for this job last 5 years MINIMUM. You're telling me that the rectum, of all things, is so complex that you have to study that long (not to mention medical school) to understand it? Don't even get me started on the rest of the body--modern medicine probably hasn't uncovered even a fourth of its secrets. How could such a complex, beautiful thing as a human being just evolve with no guidance from a higher power? Anyway, didn't mean to rant. That was basically just me saying that I agree with you. Also, gotta love VeggieTales. Boy, time flies...that was practically my childhood. I wonder if I still have any of those old coloring books lying around...? :)

on Jan. 23 2015 at 7:54 pm
CNBono17 SILVER, Rural, South Carolina
5 articles 0 photos 248 comments

Favorite Quote:
Lego ergo sum (Latin—I read, therefore, I am)
The pen is mightier than the sword—unknown
Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity—1 Timothy 4:12

Thanks so much!

on Jan. 23 2015 at 4:30 pm
CaseyChickenWang SILVER, McDonough,
7 articles 2 photos 89 comments

Favorite Quote:
"No one likes half-jinglers! Jingle all the way!" - Shelley McNeight
"You don't get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate." - GSUMUN

Very strong argument supported by a number of credible sources. Your article is very strong and outstanding. I love it!

on Jan. 20 2015 at 4:02 pm
PTsaxplayer GOLD, Boiling Springs, South Carolina
14 articles 0 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I am as old as I've ever been, but I'm as young as I'll ever be." -Robert O'Neill

Awesome his name is Perry Noble if you wanna quote him :)

on Jan. 15 2015 at 4:56 pm
CNBono17 SILVER, Rural, South Carolina
5 articles 0 photos 248 comments

Favorite Quote:
Lego ergo sum (Latin—I read, therefore, I am)
The pen is mightier than the sword—unknown
Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity—1 Timothy 4:12

Thanks! And I may quote your pastor on that, I love it! God bless you, too!

on Jan. 15 2015 at 4:09 pm
PTsaxplayer GOLD, Boiling Springs, South Carolina
14 articles 0 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I am as old as I've ever been, but I'm as young as I'll ever be." -Robert O'Neill

Nice man love how you were able to relate this science with the biblical matter of things. Another thing that my pastor always says is "Ever number has a name every name has a story and every story matters to God. Please continue your writing. God bless -Preston

on Dec. 29 2014 at 11:03 am
CNBono17 SILVER, Rural, South Carolina
5 articles 0 photos 248 comments

Favorite Quote:
Lego ergo sum (Latin—I read, therefore, I am)
The pen is mightier than the sword—unknown
Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity—1 Timothy 4:12

Thank you! Glad you liked it!

on Dec. 28 2014 at 9:56 pm
ProfessionalJaywalker GOLD, Rockville, Maryland
12 articles 0 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Do your own bit of saving, and if you drown, at least die knowing you were headed for shore." -Ray Bradbury (Fahrenheit 451)

I like the article--great concept! I recommend reordering the paragraphs--you say "the math says otherwise" and but it took you a little while to get to the math. I would recommend moving the current second paragraph to after the current sixth paragraph. My one other suggestion is to change up the word choice when citing quotes. You used some version of "say" each time, when you could mix it up with "proclaims" and other stronger verbs. Overall, well done!

on Dec. 27 2014 at 10:00 am
CNBono17 SILVER, Rural, South Carolina
5 articles 0 photos 248 comments

Favorite Quote:
Lego ergo sum (Latin—I read, therefore, I am)
The pen is mightier than the sword—unknown
Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity—1 Timothy 4:12

Thank you so much!

on Dec. 27 2014 at 12:50 am
Sharkbait SILVER, Grant Park, Illinois
8 articles 1 photo 40 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart."
-Anne Frank

This is so inspiring! Amazing job!

Blabablaba said...
on Dec. 27 2014 at 12:15 am
Common sense, dude. Common sense.