Lock of hair from the date of arrival Aboriginal Australia

The DNA sequencing of a 100-year-old hair lock of hair from an Australian Aborigine has exposed that he was directly descended from Africans who migrated to Asia about 70,000 years ago.

According to ABC Science, the innovation proves that Aboriginal Australians have a longer continuous association with the land than any other race of people.

The lock of hair was donated to British anthropologist Alfred Haddon in the early 20th century by an original man from Western Australia's Goldfields region.

A worldwide team of researchers published their findings in the journal Science.

University of Western Australia archeologist Dr Joe Dortch, who co-authored the study, said the finding draws up a timeline for Australian population of at least 50,000 years.

The study found the hair had no hereditary input for modern European Australians who migrated to the country much later.

According to the BBC, the study's findings challenge current theories that there was a single wave of migration out of Africa into Europe.

One theory is that Australia's first migrants were branched off from the Asian population, who were differentiated from European ancestors.

But Dortch said the study indicated that when Australia's first migrants arrived, the Asian and European ancestors were probably still in Africa or the Middle East.

Lock of hair from the date of arrival Aboriginal Australia 2011-09-23T04:55:00-07:00 Rating: 4.5 Diposkan Oleh: Unknown