DNA Sequencing Answers Confounding Questions About Human Evolution
Thursday, December 31, 2009 - 18:07
in Paleontology & Archaeology
A team of anthropologists has for the first time directly analyzed DNA from a member of our own species who lived around 30,000 years ago, allowing scientists a unique glimpse into the history of evolution. Their research is detailed in the December 31 issue of Current Biology. DNA--the hereditary material contained in the nuclei and mitochondria of all body cells--is a hardy molecule and can persist, conditions permitting, for several tens of thousands of years. Such ancient DNA provides scientists with unique possibilities to directly glimpse into the genetic make-up of organisms that have long since vanished from the Earth, but the ancient DNA approach could not be easily applied to ancient members of our own species. read more