I've heard about it, too. We seemingly went through at least one genetic bottleneck of - what I have heard - a few hundred people and about 15 different families or so. Would be interesting to know something about the least number of individuals needed to save a species. Maybe the interbreed with other human species was simply a necessity.DaveC426913 said:Interestingly, there was an article recently that used genetics to show that all humans today originated from a single migration out of Africa through Mesopotamia and the Arabian Peninsula. Of course, that was long before the migration to the New World.
I did not know it was this small.fresh_42 said:...at least one genetic bottleneck of - what I have heard - a few hundred people and about 15 different families or so.
An active area of research. There was speculation a few years ago that North Atlantic Cod may be effectively extinct because they won;t breed in populations smaller than millions.*fresh_42 said:Would be interesting to know something about the least number of individuals needed to save a species. Maybe the interbreed with other human species was simply a necessity.
I wished I knew a reliable source. It was a couple of years ago as biogenetics started to investigate mitochondrial DNA in more detail. However, it's possible that it was based on an article of a single scientist and does not necessarily reflect mainstream knowledge.DaveC426913 said:I did not know it was this small.
Of course, there are those who never left Africa to consider, so not all humans are descended from those that migrated out.DaveC426913 said:Interestingly, there was an article recently that used genetics to show that all humans today originated from a single migration out of Africa through Mesopotamia and the Arabian Peninsula. Of course, that was long before the migration to the New World.
A few hundred individuals seems small to me (that would be as small a breeding population as in some inbred fish genetic lines I had),fresh_42 said:I've heard about it, too. We seemingly went through at least one genetic bottleneck of - what I have heard - a few hundred people and about 15 different families or so.
or unless hybridizing with a second population could quickly restore diversity levels.fresh_42 said:Maybe the interbreed with other human species was simply a necessity.
"The Peopling of the Americas" refers to the process by which humans first migrated from Asia to the Americas, and the subsequent development and diversification of indigenous cultures and societies in North, Central, and South America.
The exact timing of the first human arrivals in the Americas is a topic of ongoing research and debate among scientists. However, evidence suggests that the first human migrations from Asia into the Americas occurred at least 15,000 years ago, and possibly as early as 20,000-25,000 years ago.
The most widely accepted theory is that early humans crossed a land bridge called Beringia that connected present-day Russia and Alaska during the last ice age, when sea levels were lower. This allowed humans to walk from Asia to North America, eventually spreading southward into Central and South America.
Scientists have found genetic, archaeological, and linguistic evidence that supports the theory of Beringia. For example, DNA studies have shown that indigenous populations in the Americas share genetic ancestry with populations in Asia. Archaeological evidence such as tools and human remains have also been found in both Siberia and Alaska, suggesting a connection between the two regions. Additionally, linguistic similarities between certain Native American languages and Asiatic languages also support the theory of migration from Asia.
The Peopling of the Americas led to the development of diverse and complex indigenous cultures and societies throughout North, Central, and South America. The migration and settlement of different groups of people in different regions led to the development of distinct languages, traditions, and belief systems. These cultures also adapted to and shaped their environments, creating unique agricultural, artistic, and technological practices.