Thursday, December 13, 2007

Top Ten scientific discoveries

As Time magazine sees it, the top 10 scientific discoveries of 2007

1. Stem cell breakthroughs
2. Human mapped
3. Brightest supernova recorded
4. Hundreds of new species
5. Building a human heart valve
6. Hot jupiters discovered
7. A big birdlike dinosaur
8. Man's migration out of Africa
9. The world's oldest animal
10. Real-life kryptonite

Man's migration out of Africa also relates to the human genographic project, where they found the location where races diverged. Man originated in Africa, some 60,000 years ago and Asian people and caucasian people split off in the middle east. Seems obvious when you look at people and the similarities held in facial features.

All of this was done by sequencing mitochondrial DNA, which is passed on directly from the mother so it is possible to trace a genetic history.

Top 10 scientific discoveries

The human genographic project

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