The Neanderthal in My Family Tree

[xchrom]

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/human_evolution/2012/10/neanderthal_and_denisovan_genetics_human_ancestors_interbred_with_extinct.html



After years of writing about human evolution, I decided recently to find out about my own ancestry. So I bought a DNA spit kit for $299 from 23andMe, a personalized genomics company in Mountain View, Calif. After spitting repeatedly into a plastic tube, I mailed my sample to a lab in California where technicians extracted DNA from cheek cells in my saliva. Two weeks later, I got an email with the subject line “Your 23andMe results are ready!”

I quickly logged in and clicked on a heading called My Ancestry. I found pretty much what I expected: I’m 100 percent European, albeit descended from an ancient group that once lived in a place that no longer exists—Doggerland, now flooded by the North Sea. But much to my surprise, I also learned there was a Neanderthal in my family tree.

A box on my ancestry page said: “You have an estimated 2.9 percent Neanderthal DNA, which puts you in the 89th percentile among Northern European 23andMe members.” I immediately compared genetic notes with my husband, who suggested I declare my Neanderthal heritage as a potential conflict of interest when I write about Neanderthals (so noted). That was probably just sour grapes because he found out he has less Neanderthal DNA than I do—just 2.6 percent of his genome.

What amazed me most, though, was how easy it was to connect with my inner Neanderthal. This mail-order analysis brought home just how much things have changed recently in our view of the origin of our own species, Homo sapiens, and our relationship with Neanderthals and other archaic humans that we didn’t even know existed.

[tridim]

1. Last night's NOVA on PBS was about this subject.

Apparently every human other than native Africans have some Neanderthal DNA.

[Raster]

4. So persons of native African decent are true homosapiens, the rest of us...

are mongrel mixed-breeds, products of primitive, inter-species sex?

Rick Santorum is NOT going to like this!

[Viva_La_Revolution]

5. pretty much

a friend and I were discussing this a few weeks ago. "Who the 'pure' race now?!

[Raster]

6. That is just awesome!

[xocet]

9. Excellent observation. I suppose that the genome is now on the other foot (so to speak). n/t

[Arugula Latte]

2. That is cool. I want to find out how much Neanderthal I have in me.

Hopefully when my kids apply to college they can note that they are part Neanderthal.

[NOLALady]

3. According to 23andMe,

my Neanderthal DNA is 1.6%.

Hubby is a 2.4%.

[We People]

7. I thought this would be a thread about how to convince the family wingnut

to stop drinking the TeaGOP flavored kool-aid.

[libodem]

8. Lovely brow ridges

You have there, my dear.

[Kablooie]

10. National Geographic has a similar ancestry DNA test that's also used for research.

Their Genographic project gives you a map showing the path your ancestors took from Africa to get to your final destination.
Americans with European ancestry have a path ends in Europe because the move to America was too recent to be part of the study.

They do both paternal and maternal paths and you can choose to add your data to their database to help refine the results.

https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com

[Jester Messiah]

11. Hah, I've got a neanderthal or two in mine, too.

They generally send me e-mail that starts with "FW: FW: FW: FW: FW: FW: FW: 0blahblah disrispects the troops!!!111!!1"

[Odin2005]

12. I did that a few months ago, I got 2.7% Neandertal DNA

[mzmolly]

13. Fascinating.

K and R.

[Sancho]

14. Quick, you need to apply to Harvard before they end affirmative action!!

Clearly, this is your big chance...