DNA AND EVOLUTION
Where Did We Come From? Where Did We Go?
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Program Summary
Producer: Larry Massett
Aired Beginning: November 1998
Zuni legend tells us that humankind evolved from amphibious forms in the belly of Mother Earth, after she mated with Father Sky. Peoples all over the world have developed origin stories to explain why we're here, who we are, and where we're going. Now, genetic researchers are beginning to write a new account of our origins, through the study of DNA. This program tells us how DNA may have come into existence and how genetic studies have contributed to evolution theories so far. And it explores the controversies raised by genetic research.
Our DNA - our collection of genes - is the essential mechanism of evolution. Human DNA is 98 percent the same as the DNA of chimpanzees; but it's also 70 percent the same as the DNA of yeast. So what makes humans uniquely different from chimpanzees or yeast? One thing might be the way in which we created language and culture, and how we developed these things in different ways all over the earth. In other words, genetic studies can tell us how human migration occurred - when we appeared, what we were like, and where we went.
By gathering genetic information from isolated populations, the Human Genome Diversity Project (HGDP) aims to decipher those mysteries. Scientists hope that this data, in combination with traditional archaeological and linguistic research, can tell us a great deal more about our past and our relationships. But there is strong opposition from people who see the HGDP as little more than highly unethical opportunism: "colonialism at the molecular level."
Hear both sides of the debate, and find out from the researchers themselves how they think the story begins. We'll have to stay tuned for the ending.
Last Updated: July 2004
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