Consilience Productions

« Elephant mimicry and other communication skills | Main | China's Anti-Pest Genetically Modified Rice »

Where did I come from?
April 14, 2005 1:05 AM

About sixty thousand years ago, while large swaths of the globe were still shrouded in ice, a few groups of enterprising humans began to move north from the steppes and valleys of East Africa, most scientists believe. They eventually populated the rest of the world.

For $99.95, you may be able to see what path your ancestors took on their migration to their eventual home.

Scientists at the National Geographic Society and IBM's Watson Research Labs are assembling a massive genetic database that will catalog persistent markers left in DNA from generation to generation, tracing them back to isolated indigenous populations. The hope is that such correlations can show the routes early humans traveled - starting some 60,000 years ago, who they met along the way and how societies developed.

You'll be able to track where they think your ancestors are from at this site, and the money raised from the sale of the kits will be used to finance research on indigenous populations, while a portion will go to a fund that preserves their culture.

How cool is that?


Join the discussion: Comments (0) | Email Link to a Friend
Permalink to post: http://www.cslproductions.org/earth/talk/archives/000150.shtml
Receive an email whenever this EARTH blog is updated:   Subscribe Here!
Tags:

Share | | Subscribe



Add your comment

Name (required)
Email
Website
Remember personal info? Yes   No
Comments

home | music | democracy | earth | money | projects | about | contact

Site design by Matthew Fries | © 2003-23 Consilience Productions. All Rights Reserved.
Consilience Productions, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
All contributions are fully tax deductible.

Support the "dialogue BEYOND music!"

Because broad and informed public participation is the bedrock of a free, democratic, and civil society, your generous donation will help increase participation in the process of social change. 100% tax deductible.
Thank you!


SEARCH OUR SITE:

Co-op America Seal of Approval  Global Voices - The world is talking, are you listening?