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All of humanity descended from a single female 100,000 years ago, so every other female from that time didn't have any descendants alive today either... http:/

by meric 13y ago

All of humanity descended from a single female 100,000 years ago, so every other female from that time didn't have any descendants alive today either... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitochondrial_Eve http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitochondrial_Eve

maxerickson 13y ago
That isn't quite the right way to put it. For example, if Eve's daughter reproduced with Phillis's son, Phillis likely has some descendants. The chain of mothers ends at Eve though. Edit: changed phrasing a bit.
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
mahmud 13y ago
Nothing in the article suggests we interbred with them.
- jrs99 13y ago
  You don't think some humans raped neanderthals?
btilly 13y ago
Not quite. Every straight matrilineal chain goes back to her. So other female from that time has surviving mitochondria. But many have plenty of descendents through chains of descent that include having a son at some point.
baddox 13y ago
> so every other female from that time didn't have any descendants alive today either... No, plenty of other females from that time probably have lots of descendants alive today. The difference is the Mitochondrial Eve is the ancestor of every living human today.