Researchers extracted DNA from a 4,500-year-old skull that was discovered in the highlands of Ethiopia.
A
comparison with genetic material from today's Africans reveals how our
ancient ancestors mixed and moved around the continents.
The findings, published in the journal Science, suggests that about 3,000 years ago there was a huge wave of migration from Eurasia into Africa.
This
has left a genetic legacy, and the scientists believe up to 25% of the
DNA of modern Africans can be traced back to this event.
"Every
single population for which we have data in Africa has a sizeable
component of Eurasian ancestry," said Dr Andrea Manica, from the
University of Cambridge, who carried out the research.
Petrous bone
Ancient genomes
have been sequenced from around the world, but Africa has proved
difficult because hot and humid conditions can destroy fragile DNA.
However, the 4,500-year-old remains of this hunter gatherer, known as Mota man, were found in a cave and were well preserved. READ MORE - BBC LINK-http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-34479905
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