Genographic Newsletter-Volume 3, Issue 1

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• More than 275,000 people have joined the Genographic Project to date. • Since the start of the Genographic Project in April 2005, Dr. Spencer Wells, the Genographic Project Director and a National Geographic explorer-in-residence, has traveled to more than three dozen countries. These include Chad, Tajikistan, Morocco, Papua New Guinea, and French Polynesia, where he has worked with our global research team, met with indigenous and traditional community leaders, and expanded Genographic's scientific database. • Nearly all native South Americans and most native North Americans are descended from haplogroup Q3, marker M3, which arose 10,000 to 15,000 years ago. Interestingly, while this defining marker arose in the Americas, it is also found at low frequencies in the Russian Far East in populations that have had more recent contact with Native American populations, probably via maritime connections from Alaska. • In its second year, the Genographic Legacy Fund has funded 20 projects, which span five continents and total nearly $900,000. Communities are leading critical projects that focus on revitalizing languages and cultural heritage.
The Genographic Project launched a new version of our interactive Web site in January 2008. Explore the Atlas of Human History, an interactive globe that takes you through the past 7,000 years of history. The refreshed home page highlights project updates and features Genographic multimedia.		Deep Ancestry: Inside the Genographic Project, Dr. Spencer Wells' latest book, is now available in paperback. For a limited time, newsletter subscribers can receive a 10% discount on Deep Ancestry by using this link or coupon code MR20123 at the National Geographic Online Store. Deep Ancestry combines a scientific overview with genealogy and ethnic identity to illuminate our common human heritage.
Q: I would like to test both my maternal and paternal lines. Can I do this? A: Males possess both a Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA, so they may choose to test either maternal lineage or paternal lineage by marking their consent form accordingly. Please note: Only one test per Genographic Participation Kit is performed. If you are a male and would like to test both your Y chromosome and your mitochondrial DNA, you may purchase a second Genographic Participation Kit and mark the consent form for the lineage that you have not yet tested. Alternatively, you can transfer your first set of results via the Genographic Web site results page to Family Tree DNA, Genographic's genetic-testing partner. You can then purchase an additional test to be performed on the sample that you already submitted. Please note that the cost of a mitochondrial DNA or Y chromosome upgrade test is $89. Also, if you choose to have the testing done via Family Tree DNA, you will need to waive anonymity. Females do not possess a Y chromosome, and therefore may only have the mitochondrial DNA test performed. However, if you are a female and would like to learn about your paternal lineage, then a male relative--such as a father, a brother, or a paternal blood relative of your father's, such as his brother--can test his Y-chromosome DNA. The results will reveal a female's paternal lineage.   See additional frequently asked questions.
Podcast: Ajay Royyuru and Spencer Wells, the Genographic Project Listen to the Genographic Project's latest podcast featuring Dr. Ajay Royyuru, head of IBM's Computation Biology Center and IBM's lead scientist on the Genographic Project; and Dr. Spencer Wells, National Geographic explorer-in-residence and director of the Genographic Project. Science suggests that all humans share a common ancestry in Africa. IBM's cutting-edge technology helps manage hundreds of thousands of genetic codes analyzed by Genographic scientists to discover how humans migrated out of Africa and became so diverse.		China's Secret Mummies In a remote Chinese desert, archaeologists have unearthed mummies that are thousands of years old and are completely misplaced in this part of the world. These mysterious mummies look European: some have blond hair, stood more than six feet tall, and wore tartan plaids. Where did they come from? Dr. Spencer Wells, National Geographic explorer-in-residence and Genographic Project director; and Dr. Li Jin, director of Genographic's East Asian regional center, attempt to tease apart the complex genetic identity of these unusually well preserved mummies.   Airs in the United States on February 10 at 11 a.m. ET/PT and on February 20 at 4 p.m. ET/PT. Check your local listings for viewing on the National Geographic Channel outside the United States throughout February. See a discovery that could rewrite human history.   Learn more about "China's Secret Mummies."
In the Classroom Dr. Scott Decker, a biopsychology professor at Georgia State University (GSU), incorporates the Genographic Participation Kit into his classroom to demonstrate the significance of biology in psychology. Each student's Genographic journey gives him or her a personal relevance to the course. "What this project says is, 'Race doesn't exist,'" Decker said. "Any observable differences between us are climatic adaptations." Decker adds that our DNA holds evidence that we all migrated from Africa, and only small mutations in our DNA have made us so diverse. For most of her life, Georgia State doctoral student Erin Harper believed she was of African-American descent with French ancestry. After participating in the Genographic Project with Decker's biopsychology course, Harper learned that her ancestors were of the same genetic ancestry as most Alaska natives today, haplogroup A. They traveled out of East Africa roughly 50,000 years ago, through Asia, and over the Bering Land Bridge to what is now North America. "My family and I were in disbelief, and kind of amused," Harper said. Once the students get their Genographic results, they compare what they know from their own family histories with the scientific evidence. Dr. Decker is looking forward to incorporating Genographic into his classroom again this spring semester. "Students at GSU come from very diverse backgrounds, and the project helps with tying a unifying thread of human commonality," says Dr. Decker. Decker also plans to use his students' reactions to their results in his research on how genetic results affect views of race. He believes the genetic science behind diversity will both challenge his students and promote great classroom discussion. Share your story.
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