DNA Genealogy

Abstract

DNA genealogy is a new field of science which considers patterns of mutations, which are different in different human lineages, in the DNA of present-day humans and of our ancient ancestors. Since the DNA is often preserved in ancient excavated bones, including those in archaeological burials, and can be recovered and studied, this approach allows us to compare the mutation patterns in the course of centuries and millennia. This in turn provides us with a knowledge of how often the mutations occur, that they are gradually changed over centuries and millennia, and, hence, calibrate the rate of mutations in various sites of the DNA in terms of time. In other words, it gives us a “molecular tool” aiming at establishing chronology of events along the ancient history of the humankind. Since the DNA is a molecule, DNA genealogy is also called the “Molecular History”. This is a subject of this book. The book begins with an explanation of what is a nature of mutations in the DNA, why the mutations are random, how to measure their rates, in terms of how many mutations occur in the DNA over centuries and millennia, therefore, to calculate their mutation rate constants. This first part of the book provides the reader with many examples of how DNA genealogy employs the mutation rates to uncover hidden puzzles of ancient human history, such as when Homo sapiens first appeared, who were ancient Europeans, Asians, Africans, Americans compared with their present-day descendants in terms of their DNA lineages, and introduces a rather simple calculator which everyone can run on their personal computer devices, iPhones, etc. to conduct such calculations of ancient chronology. Subsequent chapters of the book consider such controversial issues as whether early people came “out of Africa” or “into Africa” (both hypotheses have their supporters among scientists), who were the ancient Aryans and why their language obtained – much later – a name “Indo-European”, where was a homeland of a majority of nowadays Europeans and Native Americans (a hint – South Siberia), who were ancient Jews and Arabs and when their actual common ancestor lived, what DNA was revealed from a few Khazar burials, why look-alike ancient ceramics, made many thousand years ago, was found both in Europe and Asia, how ancient and contemporary languages are connected with the DNA of people, both ancient and contemporary. The book is targeted for multidisciplinary scientists as well as students and advanced general readership.