Lemonick, Michael D., "Everyone's Genealogical Mother," Time January 26

Major, Trevor, "Who is This "Eve"?" http://www.apologeticpress.org: p 1-8, January 17

Tiereny, John, Lynda Wright, and Karen Springen, "The Search for Adam and

Eve," Newsweek January 11 (1988): 46-52

Vigilant, Linda, et al. "African Populations and the Evolution of Human

Mitochondrial DNA," Science, September 27 (1991): 253:1503-1507

1. Berkeley researchers (outer grouping)

2. Berkeley University (geographic states)

2. Homo sapiens a species of their own

The story of Adam and Eve has been dated back at least 5,000, it

is an age-old story that has been told in various cultures such as the Mediterranean, the South Pacific, and the

In result it is quite clear that all humans today share common genealogy which stemmed from one woman who lived in Africa about 200,00 years ago. Fossil artifacts found in Africa date back 100,00 years these results concur with those results of the biochemists. The differences in all the observed mtDNA were so small that only one conclusion can be drawn from that information, the existence of one ancestral mtDNA originating in Africa (Lemonick 6).

is short and simple in comparison to the nuclear DNA, containing only thirty-seven genes instead of 30,000genes (Major).

When a child is born it receives chromosomes from both parents, over the years the nuclear DNA is shuffled and reshuffled until finally the line of inheritance is lost (Lemonick 6). "Unlike nuclear DNA which we inherit in a jumbled, mixed up form from both our parents, mtDNA is passed through the mothers line only", says Trevor Major in his essay "Who is this Eve?” During fertilization the sperm's mitochondria do not stay intact, this is due to the fact that the sperms mitochondria is carried in their tails. So, when the sperm inject into the egg the males Mitochondrial DNA is lost (Debate over Human Origins). And, furthermore when the cell divides each new cell will now contain copies of the egg, which includes the female's mtDNA (Major).

Another group of researchers did a similar study at the University of Berkeley to prove that all mitochondrial DNA types in present-day humans stem from a common ancestor, who existed in an African population some 200,000 years ago. The study began with taking two hypervariable segments off mtDNA from 189 people of various geographic origins. Out of the 189 people studied 121 were native Africans, all from sub-Saharan populations, 20 were Papua New Guinea, 1 was native Australian, 15 were European, 24 were Asian, and 8 were African American (Vigilant 1503)

The only way Mitochondrial DNA can be altered is through mutation from generation to generation (Lemonick 6). These small changes or mutations in the genetic code have no effect on the proper functioning of the mitochondria or DNA (Major). These random isolated mistakes produce a new type of DNA, which is carried over to the proceeding generations (Tierney, Wright, and Springen 49). "Molecular evolution is dominated by mutations that are inconsequential or nearly so from the stand point of natural selection", says Vigilant.

Some topics in this essay:
Wright Springen, Africans Vigilant, Mitochondrial DNA, American Vigilant, University Berkeley, Cann Emory, Africa Major, Island Pacific, Pacific Americas, Pennsylvania University, tierney wright, wright springen, tierney wright springen, lemonick 6, mitochondrial dna, wright springen 49, springen 49, wright springen 50, springen 50, common ancestor, homo sapiens, nuclear dna, woman lived, stemmed woman lived, tree tree goes,