The story of
human
migrations
Part 1: Out of Africa
The spread of modern humans from
Africa through Europe and Asia
Part 2: To Aotearoa
Human migrations across the Pacific
to New Zealand
The modern human lineage originated
in Africa less than 200,000 years ago
The earliest
modern human
fossils are from
Ethiopia
Mitochondrial Eve
Homo erectus
Africa
Early human fossil from Israel, dated to 90,000-100,000 years ago
DNA and
fossils can give
different types
of information
By comparing DNA changes among
populations we can trace their history
Population 1: ATGTAACGTTATA
Population 2: ACGTAACGTTATA
Population 3: ACGAAACGTTATA
Population 4: ACGAAACCTTATA
1 2 3 4
Mitochondrial DNA traces the female line
Mitochondria:
DNA comes Nucleus: DNA
from mother comes from
both parents
Offspring cell
Mitochondrial DNA suggests migrations out
of Africa began around 65,000 years ago
40,000
65,000
150,000
50,000
The Y chromosome traces the male line
Y chromosome
lineages began
to diverge
about 60,000
years ago
Migration patterns of early humans
Y chromosome
Mitochondrial
DNA
https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/
By sequencing whole genomes we can see
the genetic signatures of our ancestors
Genome sequences suggest two
migrations into Asia
60-75,000
150,000
Genome sequences suggest two
migrations into Asia
African
European
2 Chinese
1
Melanesian &
Aboriginal
25,000-40,000 yrs ago
European
Chinese
Melanesian
Interbreeding (2%)
Neanderthal
Denisova Cave, Siberia
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
European
Chinese
Melanesian
Interbreeding
Neanderthal
Interbreeding
Denisovan
Neanderthal
Denisovan
150,000
Out of Africa, with some hybridisation
60-75,000
19th century:
Human races
different
species?
Racial features are the result of
superficial genetic changes
Percentage of
Europeans with
light-coloured eyes
When you look at the underlying genetic
variation, we are much more similar than
we appear on the surface
0.1%
variation
Most human genetic variation occurs
within populations
85-90% variation
within populations
10-15% variation
between populations
Y chromosome
Mitochondrial
DNA
Thanks to Azra Moeed, Terry Burrell,
Barbara Mavor, and Glenda Lewis for
assistance with preparing this presentation
hilary.miller10@gmail.com www.allanwilsoncentre.ac.nz
Photo credits
Slide 3: Science Photo Library
Slide 4: MacMillan Publishers
Slides 6, 7: Science Photo Library
Slide 9: Univ. of California Museum of Paleontology (http://evolution.berkeley.edu)
Slide 10: Blank map from Wikimedia Commons (Author Crates)
Slide 11: Wikimedia Commons (Courtesy: National Human Genome Research Institute)
Slide 12: Constructed with information from National Genographic maps and the Genographic project
Slide 14: Science Photo Library
Slide 15: iStockphoto
Slides 18-20: Science Photo Library
Slide 21: Science Magazine, American Association for the Advancement of Science
Slides 22, 24: Science Photo library
Slide 25: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Slide 28: Science Photo Library
Slide 29: TRANZ International Image Library Ltd
Slide 31: Science Photo Library
Slide 32, 33, 35: TRANZ International Image Library Ltd
Slide 33: Wikimedia Commons (Author: NordNordWest)
Slide 34: Emmanuelle Bournay, UNEP/GRID-Arendal
Slide 38: Constructed with information from National Genographic maps and the Genographic project