Concept information
Preferred term
Mitochondrial Eve
Definition
- Mitochondrial Eve is the name given to the idea that the mitochondrial DNA in all modern humans can be traced back to a single genetic lineage, carried by a woman who lived in Africa approximately 250,000 to 150,000 years ago. This idea has been misunderstood by people who incorrectly think that it means that all modern humans can be traced exclusively to one single human ancestor, like the biblical “Eve.” This is incorrect because “mitochondrial Eve” is not the ancestral person from whom we can trace our entire nuclear DNA, the DNA that carries the codes to make humans. [Source: Encyclopedia of Anthropology; Eve, Mitochondrial]
Broader concept
Belongs to group
URI
https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/Mitochondrial_Eve
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