Question

Suppose you were able to choose three fossils to extract DNA from and your goal was to test the hypothesis that completely modern humans evolved in Africa. Which three would you pick? Explain why. Important information: This discussion is to focus on MODERN humans. That means hominids that appeared in the fossil record after 300kya. Please focus on the topic. Consider how you would use DNA to test the origins of modern humans. No discussion of apes, australopithecines and earlier species of the genus Homo (before 500 kya) in your answer.

Answer 1

Ancient DNA has also allowed a direct assessment of genetic variation in african countries. Together with the fossil record, genetic data provide insight into the origin of modern humans. The evidence points to an African origin of modern humans dating back to 200 000 years followed by later expansions of moderns out of Africa across the Old World. The pioneering application to the modern human origins debate was analysis of mtDNA(mitochondrial DNA). Different DNA markers will have different MRCAs and In addition to mtDNA, gene trees have now been constructed using Y-chromosome DNA (thus sampling paternal ancestry) and a number of nuclear autosomal DNA regions that show little or no recombination.

The study of ancient genomes began 20 years ago when scientists first developed techniques for

1.extracting DNA from fossils and for creating sufficient copies of that genetic material to allow them to study and characterise them.

2.when scientists extracted DNA from a tooth and a few bone fragments