# Inbreeding - how not to make a biological mess. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 25, 2005, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inbreeding-how-not-to-make-a-biological-mess/291838 "2005-02-25T06:21:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mmmdamm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Mmmdamm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mmmdamm)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inbreeding-how-not-to-make-a-biological-mess/291838/1 "2005-02-25T06:21:13Z")
I was wondering if one theoretically wanted to start a new civilization or colony somewhere, what would be the minimum number of people needed to insure that there will no inbreeding? This assumes that there are no frozen eggs or sperm or other such external aids. I know that royalty used to breed within their lineage to keep the blood pure, but I also read that this lead to a higher rate of children with health problems. Just two people? šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inbreeding-how-not-to-make-a-biological-mess/291838/2 "2005-02-25T06:26:34Z")
If you define ā€œinbreedingā€ as pairing of first cousins or closer, you could get away with 8 people starting out a new civilization. In the fourth generation people would be marrying their Second Cousins, which should be be distant enough to avoid birth defects. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inbreeding-how-not-to-make-a-biological-mess/291838/3 "2005-02-25T09:13:42Z")
Mmmdamm you posted this exact same questiononly 3 days ago. > **[Inbreeding - how not to make a biological mess.](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=303404)** > > I was wondering if one theoretically wanted to start a new cizilazation or colony somewhere, what would be the minimum number of people needed to insure that there will no inbreeding? This assumes that there are no frozen eggs or sperm or other... There were plenty of replies to your first post. Itā€™s considered bad form to repost the same question in a new thread rather than simply continuing the old one. Itā€™s also a bit rude to those of us who took the time to answer you first time. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inbreeding-how-not-to-make-a-biological-mess/291838/4 "2005-02-25T13:55:51Z")
> [@Blake](#): > > Mmmdamm you posted this exact same questiononly 3 days ago. > > [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=303404](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=303404) > > There were plenty of replies to your first post. Itā€™s considered bad form to repost the same question in a new thread rather than simply continuing the old one. Itā€™s also a bit rude to those of us who took the time to answer you first time. **Mmmdamm** is new. Perhaps there are Board navigation difficulties? ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2005, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inbreeding-how-not-to-make-a-biological-mess/291838/5 "2005-02-27T03:20:33Z")
Iā€™ll close this thread and direct further comment to the earlier thread. bibliophage moderator GQ