Many people believe that Africa is the birthplace of us all. Just as many people think this is a ridiculous claim. But where did we come from? Regardless of your beliefs, this documentary is compelling, providing genetic evidence of humanity’s connection.
In this documentary, population geneticist Spencer Wells embarks on a fantastic adventure. He is on a mission to retrace the most extraordinary journey. This journey affects every man, woman, and child living today. Using the latest in genetics and technology to track humanity’s migration across the planet, he offers his thoughts on this puzzling question.
Spencer and his colleagues collected blood samples from thousands of men living in isolated tribes around the world. They analyzed their DNA to find that we all descend from a small hunter-gatherer tribe that lived in Africa 60,000 years ago. Using this genetic trail, Spencer has mapped the ancient journey of our ancestors as they populated the planet.
Taking DNA samples from indigenous people with deep roots in a particular place, Spencer aims to piece together our “big family” genetic tree. Wells traces back common ancestors and uncovers some surprising candidates. Through DNA results, he shows how diversely people and tribes react to what science has to say about their origins and relations.
During the last decade, there has been a growing public debate about whether early humans evolved in Africa or elsewhere, where they migrated to and if they interbred with archaic species. Through DNA, Wells attempts to tackle some of these questions.
Journey Of Man: A Genetic Odyssey is a fascinating documentary and worth a watch if you have ever pondered where the question “where do we come from?”
