AFRICA, HOME OF MODERN HUMANITY.

A study of human Y-chromosome variation in a worldwide sample of over 1,000 men determined that Africans and non-African males shared a common ancestor 59,000 years ago and that the non-African branch of humanity left Africa about 44,000 years ago

Other data shows that Africans and non-Africans split about 156,000 years ago (Underhill, et al, 2000), (Ingman, 2000). Within Africa the oldest modern human fossil is just less than 160,000 years old and represented by Homo sapiens idaltu.

The two most diverse (and therefore more ancient) groupings (I & II) are found in Africa at low frequencies amongst some Khoisan and South African Bantu individuals, central African Pygmies, and lineages in Sudan, Ethiopia and Mali. A single Sardinian was in Group I and there was an Group II from Pakistan. The genetic information suggests an early diversification, dispersal and widespread distribution of human populations within Africa. Palaeoanthropological records suggest that this occurred during an interglacial 130,000 to 90,000 years ago. This is supported by faunal evidence, showing the presence of modern humans and east African animal species in the Middle East at this time (Underhill, et al. 2001

Outside of Africa, there is evidence for the early formation of a non-African grouping, represented today by the Australians, New Guineans, southeast Asians, Japanese and central Asians. All Y-chromosomes that are not exclusively African contain an identifying mutation, that originated from one of the two African groups, and evolved into three distinct sub-clusters, representing the deepest structuring of Y-chromosome diversity outside Africa. Palaeoclimatic records suggest an onset of glacial climates 70,000 years ago, accompanied by the fragmentation of African environments. This isolated both northwest and northeastern most Africa from each other and the south.

Isolation allowed African populations to evolve the variation later exported out of Africa more than once through multiple dispersals of different African groups. The current diversity found outside Africa is therefore a magnification of a process of diversification within Africa 90,000 to 50,000 years ago. Underhill's genetic study of the Y-chromosome shows further that populations not only trace their ancestry to Africa, but that the descendants replaced archaic human Y chromosomes in Eurasia (Underhill, 2000). The last common ancestor of all non-African human Y-chromosomes, is estimated to be about 40,000 years (31,000-79,000) ago.

Numerous Y-chromosome populations have been identified outside of Africa, but their clear definition requires more data. One mutation group alone has split into six Y-chromosome populations. Today there are very distinct Y-chromosome distribution groups requiring further study.

This work has laid the foundation for a clearer understanding of our recent human history through the new science of phylogeography

Whatever you do, you are an African:D Be proud.

SOURCE: http://www.ecotao.com/holism/hu_mod.htm