This festive season, give the greatest gift of all to family and friends: a personal treasure ‘map’ of their ancestors’ ancient journey around the world – starting at the cradle of humanity, in Africa, approximately 60,000 years ago.
The cutting-edge science of National Geographic and IBM’s Genographic Project takes genealogy beyond the traditional family tree and finds your migratory routes around the world. Participation in this landmark study allows you to trace the hidden history of your ancestors – using DNA.
This unique five-year research project seeks to more fully chart the genetic migratory history of the human species by investigating some of the most basic questions people have - Where do we come from, and how did we get to where we live today? This Christmas, members of the public are encouraged to get involved by purchasing an anonymous participation kit for someone special. By sending in their DNA, they will be able to discover some of the details of the paths followed by their remote ancestors. Over 225,000 people around the world have taken part since the Project launched in April 2005. Kit proceeds go back to a Legacy Fund, which supports indigenous peoples aiming to revitalize their languages and cultures, making the Genographic Kit that much more special of a gift.
Dr. Spencer Wells, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence and Genographic Project Director said, “People are excited to both learn about themselves in a new way, and give something back to indigenous peoples and research, by way of the kit proceeds. We are now seeing at every level a significant increase in people's knowledge about early
human migratory patterns and a thoughtful interest in highlighting human connections through our shared deep ancestry.”
Kits cost approximately £50 (US$100) and by sending in your DNA sample, you will learn the story of your own deep ancestry and can contribute results to help complete the picture of how humans populated the planet. The process is completely confidential.
DNA studies suggest that all humans today descended from a group of African ancestors who – about 60,000 years ago – began a remarkable journey. To formulate the genetic markers that expand the basis for the migratory analysis, a team of Genographic scientists from ten global research centers are collaborating with indigenous and traditional groups to analyze DNA samples from Chad, Laos, Russia, China, Tajikistan, India and Alaska. With field research funding from the Waitt Family Foundation, trips to Oman, Yemen, Peru, French Polynesia and New Zealand are currently ongoing. The team is on track to, as Wells describes, “put the leaves on the branches” of what science knows today about humankind's ancient migration stories.
The lab can test either your mitochondrial DNA, which is passed down each generation from mother to child and reveals your direct maternal ancestry; or your Y chromosome (males only), which is passed down from father to son and reveals your direct paternal ancestry. The Genographic Public Participation kit includes the items needed for a confidential, painless cheek swabbing plus an exclusive National Geographic map and a DVD featuring the celebrated PBS and National Geographic film, Journey of Man. Participants can go online at www.nationalgeographic.com/genographic and, using the unique, anonymous access code found in the kit, can view their own web active, personalized and confidential history - as well as a more comprehensive picture of global human migration over the ages.
Initial results are just the beginning - over the course of the five-year project, participants can go back repeatedly to the website to see - as more genetic information is added - how the chart of their own ancient history may have become more complete, how they may share common lineages with their own neighbours, and to what branch of humanity’s family tree they belong.
The three components of the Genographic Project are: to gather field research data in collaboration with indigenous and traditional peoples around the world by leading scientists; to invite the general public to join the project by purchasing a Genographic Project Public Participation Kit; to use proceeds from participation kit sales to further field research and the Genographic Legacy Fund which supports indigenous conservation and revitalization projects. The Project is anonymous, non-medical, non-political, non-profit and non-commercial and all results will be put in the public domain following scientific peer publication. Additional information can be found at www.nationalgeographic.com/genographic.
ENDS…
About National Geographic
Founded in 1888, National Geographic is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Its mission is to increase and diffuse geographic knowledge while promoting the conservation of the world’s cultural, historical and natural resources. National Geographic reflects the world through its six magazines, cable television channels and programs, films, radio, books, videos, maps, interactive media and merchandise, reaching as many as 300 million people each month. www.nationalgeographic.com
About IBM
IBM is the world’s largest information technology company, with more than 80 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate. It has a long history of innovating on behalf of society, and in recent years has launched a series of major research initiatives designed to overcome many of the remaining “grand challenges” of science, including the Deep Blue chess–playing computer and unraveling the mysteries of protein folding with BlueGene, the world’s fastest supercomputer. IBM Research is the world’s largest information technology research organization, with more than 3,000 scientists and engineers at eight labs in six countries. For more information about IBM, visit www.ibm.com.
About the Waitt Family Foundation
Established in 1993 by Gateway Computer founder and now Chairman Ted Waitt and his wife, Joan, the Waitt Family Foundation focuses on humankind’s past, present and future. Specifically, the foundation funds projects aimed at making discoveries about our
past that will help inform the way we are today and reveal untapped possibilities for the future. For more information about the Waitt Family Foundation, visit www.waittfoundation.org.
For more information please contact ING MEDIA:
Tracey Milham
P: +44 (0) 207 247 8334
M: (0) 7951 789 938
Tracey@ing-media.com
Tim Pilgrim
P: +44 (0) 207 247 8334
M: (0) 7985 267 946
Tim@ing-media.com
Rosa Vaquero
P: +44 (0) 207 247 8334
M: (0) 7724 221 179
Rosa@ing-media.com