In 1987, a group of molecular geneticists at the University of California at Berkeley offered support for the idea that anatomically modern humans arose fairly recently in Africa, then spread out and colonized the world. The geneticists analyzed genetic samples of 147 women whose ancestors came from Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, New Guinea, and Australia. By estimating the number of mutations that had taken place in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of each of these samples, the researchers concluded that

A. everyone alive can count the Neandertal of western Europe as their ancestor.
B. Neandertals coexisted with modern humans in the Middle East for at least 2,000 years.
C. establishing a "genetic clock" to model human evolution is reliable only when focusing on 50,000 years into the past.
D. everyone alive today has mtDNA that descends from a woman (dubbed "Mitochondrial Eve") who lived in sub-Saharan Africa around 200,000 years ago and that her descendants left Africa no more than 135,000 years ago.
E. everyone alive today has mtDNA that descends from a woman (dubbed "Mitochondrial Eve") who lived in Asia around 50,000 years ago and that her descendants left Asia 100,000 years ago.


Answer: D

Anthropology & Archaeology

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Which of the following best describes the importance of the Monte Verde site?

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Anthropology & Archaeology

All of the following are important functions of female initiation rites in matrilocal societies EXCEPT:

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Anthropology & Archaeology

Chimpanzees are members of the tribe:

A. Hominini B. Panini C. Ponginae D. Gorillinae

Anthropology & Archaeology

Explain what differences the Six Cultures Study found in the personality development of children in different modes of livelihood. What factors may account for these differences?

What will be an ideal response?

Anthropology & Archaeology