Yes, all living humans can potentially mate with each other.
According to the provided reference:
"Thus all living Homo sapiens have the potential to breed with each other, but could not successfully interbreed with gorillas or chimpanzees, our closest living relatives."
This statement confirms that all members of the Homo sapiens species (which is the scientific name for humans) can interbreed. This ability to interbreed is a key defining factor of what makes a species, according to the reference. Since all humans are Homo sapiens, they can all mate with each other.
Here's a breakdown of the key points:
- Species Definition: The reference implies that a fundamental aspect of a species is that its members can reproduce with each other.
- Homo Sapiens: All modern humans belong to the Homo sapiens species.
- Interbreeding: Because we are all Homo sapiens, we all have the potential to interbreed.
- Species Barriers: The reference highlights that humans cannot breed with gorillas or chimpanzees. This illustrates the species barrier—we are biologically different species and therefore cannot interbreed.
Therefore, the answer to the question "Can all humans mate with each other?" is a clear yes, as the reference states that all living Homo sapiens have the potential to breed with each other.
