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Curious Truth About Adam’s Rib — How We Got It All Wrong
What if the story of Eve being made from Adam’s rib is a misunderstanding, and she was actually created as his equal half?
For centuries, people have believed that Eve was created from Adam’s rib — a story told so often by Jews, Christians, and Muslims that it feels like an unshakable fact. But what if the ‘rib’ we all know is likely the result of a colossal misunderstanding?
Ever since I first heard the story of Adam and Eve as a child, I’ve always found it somewhat awkward that Eve was created from Adam’s rib. The order of creation also seemed illogical to me. If we look at biology, the male body appears to be more like a modified version of the female body, rather than the other way around. How do we know this? Males, for instance, have nipples and fully functioning milk lines, as well as the development of Müllerian structures (the precursor to female reproductive organs like the uterus, fallopian tubes, and upper vagina) during embryonic development. However, these structures later regress in males, leaving only vestigial remnants.
Leaving all that aside, let’s return to our biblical story.