Oh lord this topic will age well lol
This article feels a bit sensationalized. While the study itself might be solid, it’s important to remember that science doesn’t work by declaring absolute truths. Research findings are part of an ongoing process where other experts review methods, test the results, and build upon the work. Articles like this, mixing fact with speculation (like religious origins), can confuse readers and undermine trust in science.
The idea that humans trace back to a small group of females (like mitochondrial Eve) isn’t new. But these studies are about tracing genetic markers, not trying to ‘prove’ everyone literally came from one woman. Oversimplifications like these do a disservice to public understanding and feed misconceptions like “science is always wrong.”
Thanks for posting it by the way! I find this stuff fascinating! While on that subject, if you’ve ever used 23 & Me, you need to take some steps to protect your privacy now that they’ve declared bankruptcy. This video has a good walkthrough:
We all come from our Botswana mother? So where did she come from?
A lot of this is based on probability analysis, too. There’s not much intent in the field to discover a particular individual whose remains may be in the ground waiting to be dug up, just the ability to say that everyone’s genetic origin comes from this definable place and time with a statistically small number of individuals who could have lived there.
This seems to point to a population bottleneck rather than a something from nothing statement of origin.
Botswana
Well who was the father, or her parents? I don’t think we will ever really know for certain.
But basically I’m just an American which is where I was born and raised. Who my various Heinz 57 ancestors are is irrelevant to me.
When did your family immigrate to the US/ colonies, and where exactly?
That is a huge piece in understanding your ancestral roots
The first Higdon (Peter Higdon) immigrated from England in the 1600s as an indentured servant to a tailor in Massachusetts. My Irish ancestors came over during the potato famine. I know that when the Irish came over they were not well received in America. That’s my father’s side. That’s about all I know about Dad’s side. I do know that his ancestors fought in the American revolution on the Patriot side and I know he has ancestors that fought in the Civil War on both sides.
Because my aunt was into that kind of thing I know a bit more about my mother’s side. I don’t know exactly when her Irish ancestors came over, but my grandfather on her side was an Irish railroad worker (section foreman for Southern Pacific) Joseph Carter. I have documents that show his ancestors paid taxes in the 1830’s and one of his ancestors was a sergeant in the Confederate Army. My maternal grandmother’s father, Etienne Bonvillain, came down from Canada in the Acadian movement (Cajuns). My grandmother was half Cajun French and half Parisian French as her mother came over from France. One of my grandmother’s relatives was a little known general in the Confederate army, his name was Pierre G. T. Beauregard. I don’t know anything about him other than that and I doubt many have even heard of him.
You asked and maybe I gave you more than you wanted to know.