New Project Traces Humans' Ancient Wanderings

By Catherine Clarke Fox
National Geographic Kids News
June 14, 2005
Most of us know who our close relatives are—parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. But every one of us may also be related to a man who lived in Africa about 60,000 years ago, according to recent studies.
Most scientists agree that the first humans lived in Africa. What routes did humans take as they moved out of Africa to the other places people live today? To find out, the National Geographic Society joined with IBM, a computer company, to launch the Genographic Project.
Scientists in the project will study genes, which are millions of bits of information in people's cells.
Genes tell cells what to do and how to act. Genes also help decide a person's characteristics or appearance. For example, a gene determines whether a person has straight or curly hair or green or brown eyes.
Genes are inherited. That means they come from your parents. Ever wondered why you resemble one or both of your parents? It's because of genes!
By studying genetic characteristics shared by specific groups of people, the Genographic scientists will be able to map connections between them, like a giant game of connect the dots.
For example, the Hazara people of Pakistan believe they are related to the 13th-century warrior Genghis Khan. He and his armies invaded lands far from their home in Mongolia, a part of Asia.
Scientists have studied the genetic makeup of men living today in Asia. They found similarities between the genes of people living in Mongolia and the genes of the Hazara, a group living thousands of miles away in Pakistan. The genetic information was probably passed down from Genghis Khan, who conquered the region around 800 years ago.
The genetic patterns allow scientists to trace the spread of Genghis Khan's empire and to see what effect it had on the local population. Today, nearly one in every ten men from this region of Pakistan is a descendant of Genghis Khan!
Spencer Wells is the Genographic Project's director and a National Geographic explorer. He said that "we are all linked to each other by a genetic thread, and our threads are interwoven through the migrations of our ancestors."
Genographic scientists will collect cell samples from thousands of people from all over the world. The scientists will study the genes the cells contain.
Also, the project offers an exciting opportunity to anyone who wants to pay a fee: They can join the study by mailing in a cell sample. To get a sample, they need to wipe the insides of their mouths. In return, these people will receive information about the trail of their own ancestors. As scientists discover more connections among different kinds of people, IBM's computer experts will analyze and store all the information.
The project could teach humans about our past. Wells hopes that what we learn can make the world today a better place. "Hopefully, the idea that we all share common ancestors will help people overcome some of the prejudices they have," he said.
QUESTIONS