The Genographic Project, a five-year project to track human genetic material (DNA) started by the National Geographic Society, IBM, geneticist Spencer Wells, and the Waitt Family Foundation shows that all humans descended from an African ancestor about 60,000 years ago. they have gathered DNA samples from all over the world and charted movements using the genetic markers.
“When DNA is passed from one generation to the next, most of it is recombined by the processes that give each of us our individuality.
Some parts of the DNA chain remain largely intact through the generations, altered only occasionally by mutations which become “genetic markers.” These markers allow geneticists like Spencer Wells to trace our common evolutionary timeline back through the ages.” National Genographic Project
Any of us can purchase their kit, send in our genetic material for anaylisis, and become part of the data. Their site states that it is completely anonymous using your kit ID numbers and that there is no record or database of who purchased the kit that links the purchasers with the results.
The projects website has a nice atlas of the human journey, information on genetics, and more. I site worth visiting. Broaden your view of Homo sapiens, and how we all really are connected.