• Question: Since Homosapiens were first found in Africa is every human on this planet have at least one African relation in their family tree?

    Asked by samuel1299 to Kate, Mark U, Tess, Yue on 1 May 2012.
    • Photo: Tess Newman

      Tess Newman answered on 1 May 2012:

      Everybody on this planet has what is known as a MRCA – or Most Recent Common Ancestor. There are different estimate for when this person lived, but one study believes that it may be as recently as 0 AD. So your family tree could start with this person, and by the time it got down to you, would include everybody in the world. Also, if you went further up the tree from your MCRA, you would eventually find your early African Homosapien ancestors

      Also, if you are European, your MRCA may have lived around 600 years ago, so if you go back far enough, your family tree would include the Queen.

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