A team of Genographic researchers and their collaborators have published the most extensive survey to date of African mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Over 600 complete mtDNA genomes from indigenous populations across the continent were analyzed…
Doron Behar said: “We see strong evidence of ancient population splits beginning as early as 150,000 years ago, probably giving rise to separate populations localized to Eastern and Southern Africa. It was only around 40,000 years ago that they became part of a single pan-African population, reunited after as much as 100,000 years apart.”
Recent paleoclimatological data suggests that Eastern Africa went through a series of massive droughts between 135,000-90,000 years ago. It is possible that this climatological shift contributed to the population splits. What is surprising is the length of time the populations were separate – as much as half of our entire history as a species…
Dr. Spencer Wells said: “This new study released today illustrates the extraordinary power of genetics to reveal insights into some of the key events in our species’ history. Tiny bands of early humans, forced apart by harsh environmental conditions, coming back from the brink to reunite and populate the world. Truly an epic drama, written in our DNA.”Paleontologist Meave Leakey added: “Who would have thought that as recently as 70,000 years ago, extremes of climate had reduced our population to such small numbers that we were on the very edge of extinction.”
Our species survived an environmental threat of extinction when we were as scarce as 2,000 individuals. Now that we number in the billions, I hope we can keep from killing ourselves off – on our own.
#32–Scott==I don’t think Mustard offering his opinion, nor defending it, is the same as intending to spread it. It could be, but it is not necessarily so. Painting him with that overbroad brush is what some here criticize Mustard for in his mischaracterization of atheism as a belief system. It can be, but almost always isn’t.
Maybe I have missed enough of Mustards posts to not observe where he does more than offer an opinion/defense, but I doubt it from what I have seen. One or two exceptions would not a trend make.
Equally militant? We’d have to collect threads, but my impression is that you and I both inject our anti-religion bias more than Mustard injects his pro religious nonsense. Everyone tends to remember unpleasant experiences longer than pleasant ones.