CANADA: Researchers extracted DNA from a 4,500-year-old skull that was discovered in the highlands of Ethiopia.
A comparison with genetic material from today’s Africans reveals how our ancient ancestors mixed and moved around the continents.
The findings, published in the journal Science, suggest that about 3,000 years ago there was a huge wave of migration from Eurasia into Africa.
This has left a genetic legacy, and the scientists believe up to 25% of the DNA of modern Africans can be traced back to this event.
“Every single population for which we have data in Africa has a sizeable component of Eurasian ancestry,” said Dr Andrea Manica, from the University of Cambridge, who carried out the research.
Ancient genomes have been sequenced from around the world, but Africa has proved difficult because hot and humid conditions can destroy fragile DNA.
However, the 4,500-year-old remains of this hunter gatherer, known as Mota man, were found in a cave and were well preserved.
Importantly, a bone that is situated just below the ear, called the petrous, was intact.
Dr Manica, speaking to Science in Action on the BBC World Service, said: “The petrous bone is really hard and does a really good job of preventing bacteria getting in and degrading this DNA.
“What we were able to get is some very high quality undamaged DNA from which we could reconstruct the whole genome of the individual.
“We have the complete blueprint, every single gene, every single bit of information that made this individual that lived 4,500 years ago in Ethiopia.”
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