Africans have more genetic variation than anyone else on Earth, said a study that helps narrow the location where humans first evolved, probably near the South Africa-Namibia border.
The largest study of African genetics ever undertaken also found that nearly three-fourths of African-Americans can trace their ancestry to West Africa. The new analysis was published on Thursday in the online edition of the journal Science.
“Given the fact that modern humans arose in Africa, they have had time to accumulate dramatic changes” in their genes, said lead researcher Sarah Tishkoff, a geneticist at the University of Pennsylvania.
Over 10 years, Tishkoff and an international team of researchers trekked across Africa collecting samples of genes from various peoples.
FIGHTING DISEASE
She said that very little had been known about the genetic variation in Africans, information vital to understanding why diseases have a greater impact in some groups than others and in designing ways to counter those illnesses.
Scott Williams of Vanderbilt University said that constructing patterns of disease variations could help determine which genes predispose a group to a particular illness.
This study “provides a critical piece in the puzzle,” he said.
For example, there are clear differences in prevalence of diseases such as hypertension and prostate cancer across populations, Williams said.
“The human genome describes the complexity of our species,” said Muntaser Ibrahim of the department of molecular biology at the University of Khartoum. “Now we have spectacular insight into the history of the African population ... the oldest history of mankind.
“Everybody’s history is part of African history because everybody came out of Africa,” Ibrahim said.
WESTERN AFRICA
The study also found that about 71 percent of African-Americans can trace their ancestry to Western African origins. They also have between 13 percent and 15 percent European ancestry and a smaller amount of other African origins.
There was “very little” evidence for Native American genes among black Americans, Tishkoff said.
Ehret said that only about 20 percent of the Africans brought to North America made the trip directly, while most of the rest went first to the West Indies.
Overall, the researchers were able to study and compare the genetics of 121 African groups, 60 non-African populations and four African-American groups.
MOST-MIXED
The so-called “Cape-colored” population of South Africa has the highest levels of mixed ancestry on the globe, a blend of African, European, East Asian and South Indian, Tishkoff said.
“This will be a great population for study of diseases” that are more common in one group than another, she said.
FRAUD ALLEGED: The leader of an opposition alliance made allegations of electoral irregularities and called for a protest in Tirana as European leaders are to meet Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party scored a large victory in parliamentary elections, securing him his fourth term, official results showed late on Tuesday. The Socialist Party won 52.1 percent of the vote on Sunday compared with 34.2 percent for an alliance of opposition parties led by his main rival Sali Berisha, according to results released by the Albanian Central Election Commission. Diaspora votes have yet to be counted, but according to initial results, Rama was also leading there. According to projections, the Socialist Party could have more lawmakers than in 2021 elections. At the time, it won 74 seats in the
A Croatian town has come up with a novel solution to solve the issue of working parents when there are no public childcare spaces available: pay grandparents to do it. Samobor, near the capital, Zagreb, has become the first in the country to run a “Grandmother-Grandfather Service,” which pays 360 euros (US$400) a month per child. The scheme allows grandparents to top up their pension, but the authorities also hope it will boost family ties and tackle social isolation as the population ages. “The benefits are multiple,” Samobor Mayor Petra Skrobot told reporters. “Pensions are rather low and for parents it is sometimes
CONTROVERSY: During the performance of Israel’s entrant Yuval Raphael’s song ‘New Day Will Rise,’ loud whistles were heard and two people tried to get on stage Austria’s JJ yesterday won the Eurovision Song Contest, with his operatic song Wasted Love triumphing at the world’s biggest live music television event. After votes from national juries around Europe and viewers from across the continent and beyond, JJ gave Austria its first victory since bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst’s 2014 triumph. After the nail-biting drama as the votes were revealed running into yesterday morning, Austria finished with 436 points, ahead of Israel — whose participation drew protests — on 357 and Estonia on 356. “Thank you to you, Europe, for making my dreams come true,” 24-year-old countertenor JJ, whose
CANCER: Jose Mujica earned the moniker ‘world’s poorest president’ for giving away much of his salary and living a simple life on his farm, with his wife and dog Tributes poured in on Tuesday from across Latin America following the death of former Uruguayan president Jose “Pepe” Mujica, an ex-guerrilla fighter revered by the left for his humility and progressive politics. He was 89. Mujica, who spent a dozen years behind bars for revolutionary activity, lost his battle against cancer after announcing in January that the disease had spread and he would stop treatment. “With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of our comrade Pepe Mujica. President, activist, guide and leader. We will miss you greatly, old friend,” Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi wrote on X. “Pepe, eternal,” a cyclist shouted out minutes later,
RSS