More details have emerged about the techniques used by University of Auckland researchers in a recent study whose results backed earlier findings that Pacific settlers originated from Taiwan, traveling down south to the Philippines and on to Hawaii around 5,000 years ago.
Geneticists, biologists and linguists teamed up to provide further evidence that unravels one of the great mysteries of human migration. In a paper published this month in the journal Science, the researchers wrote of the fantastic sea voyages aboard primitive sailing craft from Taiwan.
The evidence came in large part from the DNA of Helicobacter pylori, a parasite that lives in the human gastrointestinal tract.
Molecular biologist Mark Achtman said that H. pylori was well established in the human gut when the first people left Africa about 60,000 years ago.
As each small band of explorers left the main group to go its own way — over periods of thousands of years — the DNA of H. pylori developed tiny changes that were passed from generation to generation, leaving their own distinct pattern of genetic mutation.
By taking gastric biopsies and mucus samples from the modern day Aborigines of Taiwan, the scientists found that their particular strain of H. pylori DNA came from what is known as the hspMaori family.
The researchers were able to trace and follow the exact same strain of DNA right through the peoples of the South Pacific, proving that the migration originated in Taiwan.
Peoples with another strain of H. pylori DNA — known as hpSahul — populated New Guinea and Australia more than 30,000 years ago from uncertain origins.
“Our results lend support for two distinct waves of migration into the Pacific. First, early migration to New Guinea and Australia accompanied by hpSahul and second, a much later dispersal of hspMaori from Taiwan through the Pacific by the Malayo-Polynesian-speaking Lapita culture,” the report said.
Among the scientists directly involved in the studies was Wu Jeng-yih (吳政毅) of Kaohsiung Medical University.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
RSS