Human Genographic Project

There have been several posts concerning ethnic identity .

I wonder if you know about this project run by National Geographic , IBM and the Watt Family Foundation ? It is to do with deep ancestry and the movement of people over the ages .

Modern genetics show that we all came from Africa , and that we are all linked to the so-called ' mitochondrial Eve' .

For not much more than a hundred dollars , you can learn more . You receive a DNA test-kit . You scrape the inside of your cheek , and you send the scrape to be analyzed . For women , the DNA analysis is done through the maternal line . It is a bit like Russian dolls . For men , the analysis goes through the father's line . I have done this test , and have found out that most of the people with my group come from Eastern Europe . My husband did his , and his group went via the Himalayas and then over to Western Europe . 90 percent of men in Ireland and Northern Spain have his haplogroup . He is French .

The test is obviously limited , as you only follow one line , and hell I am Welsh and a Welsh-speaker through my father's side . We have been in Wales since Noah . My mother is English .

Anyway , it is interesting and fun . The proceeds go to fund genetic research into native peoples who are far more interesting than us boring old Europeans . For example , it has recently been shown that the Polynesians colonized the Pacific from the area which is now Taiwan . This research the helps scientists to learn more about humanity in general .

When you get the DNA pack , you also get a lot of information putting modern genetic science into layman's terms . Many of you think I criticize the Americans . Perhaps I do sometimes , but no one can hold a light to the way cutting-edge American scientists manage to explain science to hapless non-scientists such as myself .