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Loading... The Seven Daughters of Eve: The Science That Reveals Our Genetic Ancestry (original 2001; edition 2002)by Bryan Sykes (Author)
Work InformationThe Seven Daughters of Eve: The Science That Reveals Our Genetic Ancestry by Bryan Sykes (2001)
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. Now *this* is how a science book is supposed to be written, imo. ?áFocus on the explanation of the actual science - of the theory, of the experiments & tests, of the conclusions. ?áGo into history & personalities only enough to clarify what information you're trying to share. ?áWrite conversationally, but without forced wit. ?áI only wish that 1. this were newer 2. there was more known about the mitochondrial history of the world beyond Europe known at the time this was written, and 3. there was included a list of books recommended for further reading. ?áOf course, one of the strengths of this book is that it was published at exactly the right moment, only months after the theory was fully integrated with data that was made available as criticisms of the original release (to academia) were answered. ?áSo it's not the book's fault it's old; it's mine for not reading it sooner. ?áAnd even though it is old, it's still very much worth reading. ?á Interestingly, I liked the first part of the book best. ?áThe title doesn't become directly relevant until about 2/3 through, when the author describes what the lives of each of these seven women may have been like. ?áToo many suppositions needed to be made, even though, of course, paleoanthropologists have some pretty good ideas that Sykes did use. ?áEven there, though, were some interesting ideas. ?áFor example, Jasmine's story includes an idea that may be relevant to understanding the Great Flood stories. I particularly like the last chapter, A Sense of Self. ?áIn that chapter Sykes makes it finally fully clear how race is a myth, and how mitochondrial lineages work. ?áHis metaphor of the stage and the string is lovely. ?áIf you want to see whether you want to read the book, at least read that chapter. "A traveler from an antique land... lives within us all," claims Sykes, a professor of genetics at Oxford. This unique traveler is mitochondrial DNA, and, as this provocative account illustrates, it can help scientists and archeologists piece together the history of the human race. Mitochondrial DNA is present in every cell in the body, and it remains virtually unchanged (aside from random mutations) as it passes from mother to daughter. By quantifying and analyzing the mutations of this relatively stable circle of DNA, Sykes has solved some of the hottest debates about human origins. For example, he clarified a long-running debate among anthropologists over the original inhabitants of the Cook Islands. After retrieving mitochondrial DNA samples from the island natives, Sykes concluded that the natives emigrated from Asia, not America, as many Western anthropologists had contended. In a similar manner, Sykes analyzed samples from native Europeans to determine that modern humans are not at all related to Neanderthals. The book's most complex and controversial find that the ancient European hunter-gatherers predominated over the farmers and not vice versa leads Sykes to another stunning conclusion: by chance, nearly all modern Europeans are descendants of one of seven "clan mothers" who lived at different times during the Ice Age. Drawing upon archeological and climatic records, Sykes spins seven informative and gracefully imagined tales of how these "daughters of Eve" eked out a living on the frozen plains. (July 9)Forecast: Sykes is a bit of a celebrity geneticist, as he was involved in identifying the remains of the last Romanovs. This fame, plus his startling conclusions augmented by a five-city tour should generate publicity and sales among science, archeology and genealogy buffs. AwardsNotable Lists
References to this work on external resources. Wikipedia in English (21)Professor Bryan Sykes gives a firsthand account of his research into a gene which passes undiluted from generation to generation through the maternal line. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)599.935Natural sciences and mathematics Zoology Mammals Humans Genetics, evolution, development GeneticsLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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For the full review, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2019/12/14/the-seven-daughters-of-eve-brian-sykes/ ( )