Sub-title: A Genetic Portrait of America
I've read the previous books by this well-known DNA researcher who ran Oxford Ancestors. He died in 2020. His early work has since been superseded by whole genome sequencing analysis but his writing is still good to read for the recent century evolution of DNA science.
He discusses his idea of a universal Ancestor from whom all people alive today descend. It's a theoretical concept The book contains chromosome paintings of those who volunteered their DNA for his project. At the time they were collecting Y-DNA and mtDNA and were assigning bio-ancestry groups, broadly European, African, Native American and Asian.
I'd always wondered what happened to his samples as the company closed after his death. He stated on page 289 that "Like Oxford Ancestors...destroys its customers' DNA sample as soon as the analysis is finished."
The appendix has a list of genes by chromosome and the parts of the body they affect; a nice reference.
It was amusing that throughout the book he commented snidely on American society and culture and our western expansion without taking any note of the impact of his homeland on the Native American population.
Published: 2012 Read: May - July 2024 Genre: Science
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