New research pinpoints origins of humans in Africa

[one...two...tree 2,762]

By Katherine Harmon in 60-Second Science Blog

A massive new genetic study proposes that humans originated near the border of modern-day South Africa and Namibia, a far more specific understanding than the vaguer picture of African origin that previously reigned.

Researchers from 11 countries collaborated on the study of more than 4 million genotypes, which was published today online in Science. By analyzing genetic sequences from 121 populations in Africa, 60 non-African populations and four African-American populations, they were able to trace Africans back to 14 ancestral clusters.

Charles Darwin first proposed an African origin of humans in his 1871 book The Descent of Man. It's now widely accepted that modern humans spent half of their 200,000 years on the planet in Africa, making it a key area of interest for geneticists, linguists and anthropologists alike.

The new study confirms prevailing assumptions that Africa is still home to the most genetic diversity.

Africa is currently has more than 2,000 ethno-linguistic groups, and the researchers were able to triangulate movement within and out of Africa by matching genetic and linguistic patterns. Among their other discoveries was a common ancestry between Pygmies and Khoisan speakers (those who use clicks in their language), and an average breakdown of the African-American genetic heritage in populations they studied (to about 71 percent western sub-Saharan African, 13 percent European and 8 percent other African groups). With a more detailed map of genes, researchers hope to be able to better understand health and disease in many of these populations.

"Our goal has been to do research that will benefit Africans," Sarah Tishkoff, a lead author of the study and a geneticist at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, said in a statement. Future work, she noted will include "studies of genetic and environmental risk factors for disease and drug response." Image of Tishkoff collecting genetic samples in Tanzania courtesy of Sarah Tishkoff

http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/60-second-science/post.cfm?id=new-research-pinpoints-origins-of-h-2009-04-30

[Scott & Lai 12]

By analyzing genetic sequences from 121 populations in Africa, 60 non-African populations and four African-American populations, they were able to trace Africans back to 14 ancestral clusters.

That narrows down the origin point of Africans, but what about non-Africans?

[rooster 1]

It appears they included non-africans in the study. It does specify they studied 60 non-africans and came to the conclusion that "humans" originated there.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Humans originated in Africa, not all of us are human

[pedroh 21]

Humans originated in Africa, not all of us are human

lol

[Niels Bohr 72]

This is great. It strengthen many theories that anthropologists have written in textbooks.

Edited May 4, 2009 by Niels Bohr

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

Hey Batman why dont you go read a lil Dr. seuss? Its way more educational!

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Hey Batman why dont you go read a lil Dr. seuss? Its way more educational!

Fvckin hybrid comic books make me sick! Punk kids!

[Niels Bohr 72]

Hey Batman why dont you go read a lil Dr. seuss? Its way more educational!

Fvckin hybrid comic books make me sick! Punk kids!

[pedroh 21]

AJ, running to the lake again?! don't forget your weed whacker boy! you don't know when flying libruls are gonna swim to the shore!

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

Hey Batman why dont you go read a lil Dr. seuss? Its way more educational!

Fvckin hybrid comic books make me sick! Punk kids!

I knew your education came from somewhere! Go Doctor!

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I'm glad my ancestors left that dump when they did.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Humans originated in Africa, not all of us are human

Judging by the behaviour of a few people here (Marc) its surprising that some folks made it out of the trees.

[fozzie 41]

My wife and I took part in the National Geographics Genographic Project.

https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/...phic/index.html

It was free for us because we stumbled on a booth at a street fair in Astoria NYC where they were taking DNA swabs. They have studies thousands of samples and traced them back to africa from Native Americans, Asians, Europeans etc. They did a big reveal for all those that took part in the Astoria testing because Astoria is such a diverse neighborhood. It was interesting to see the migratory path my ancestors took out of africa.

Anyone can take part but the kits cost $100.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

My wife and I took part in the National Geographics Genographic Project.

https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/...phic/index.html

It was free for us because we stumbled on a booth at a street fair in Astoria NYC where they were taking DNA swabs. They have studies thousands of samples and traced them back to africa from Native Americans, Asians, Europeans etc. They did a big reveal for all those that took part in the Astoria testing because Astoria is such a diverse neighborhood. It was interesting to see the migratory path my ancestors took out of africa.

Anyone can take part but the kits cost $100.

I wonder how well that works for us American mongrels. I know my ancestors have been wondering around the New World for at least three centuries, and the tree does a lot of forking, even throughout Europe.