Out of Africa, the theory that modern humans evolved in Africa before leaving, has been the mantra of anthropologists for nigh a decade now. That idea might need some qualification though. After analyzing nearly 5,000 ancient tooth samples from the genus Homo (Humans are Homo sapiens), researchers led by Maria Martinón-Torres at the National Research Center on Human Evolution in Burgos, Spain cast doubt on the second great migration out of Africa. Their article, published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, stresses the importance of early humanity's move across Eurasia. (link via Scientific American)Let's hope the media realizes there was still a great deal of genetic drift and gene flow. We're still one people.
