The Seven Daughters of Eve cover art

The Seven Daughters of Eve

The Science That Reveals Our Genetic Ancestry

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The Seven Daughters of Eve

By: Bryan Sykes
Narrated by: Michael Page
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About this listen

One of the most dramatic stories of genetic discovery since James Watson's The Double Helix - a work whose scientific and cultural reverberations will be discussed for years to come.

In 1994 Professor Bryan Sykes, a leading world authority on DNA and human evolution, was called in to examine the frozen remains of a man trapped in glacial ice in northern Italy. News of both the Ice Man's discovery and his age, which was put at over 5,000 years, fascinated scientists and newspapers throughout the world. But what made Sykes's story particularly revelatory was his successful identification of a genetic descendant of the Ice Man, a woman living in Great Britain today. How was Sykes able to locate a living relative of a man who died thousands of years ago?

In The Seven Daughters of Eve, he gives us a firsthand account of his research into a remarkable gene, which passes undiluted from generation to generation through the maternal line. After plotting thousands of DNA sequences from all over the world, Sykes found that they clustered around a handful of distinct groups. Among Europeans and North American Caucasians, there are, in fact, only seven.

©2001 Bryan Skyes (P)2017 Tantor Anthropology Biological Sciences Evolution Evolution & Genetics Genetics Science

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All stars
Most relevant  
Very interesting story, leading you through the fascinating discoveries of mitochondrial dna and y chromosome dna and what we can learn from it. Very well read. Loved it.

Fascinating like a whodunnit

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Very illuminating, clear and captivatingly told through stories. Previously I found it difficult to visualise how "mitochondrial Eve" and Y chromosomal Adam (last common male ancestor of all men) could have lived at different times. Now this makes more intuitive sense. Enjoyed the highs of new discovery Sykes shared. Some emotional rollercoasters - despair and triumph featured.

Captivating

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Was a quick listen that enjoyed for information as an element how modern humans came to be. Historical fiction, partially, and modern genetics research simplified for the non researchers for the rest.

Highly informative book

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I was completely engrossed by this book. I didn't know about Mitochondrial DNA and I'm glad I do now. The fact that our bodies carry this genetic history within us is marvellous.
I have tried to share this with friends and realise it might not be to everyone's interest. But if you want to know more about how you function now and how that also tells scientists about the past come on in.

Fascinating

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this book really goes in depth into the origin of humans and our prehistoric ancestry. My favorite part were chapters 16 to 22.

loved this book! super interesting!

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It's a great book simply put even for those who don't have any understanding about genetics. Very interesting and illustrating.

Great!

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loved it. The most convincing story of us, The story of Eve for a scientific audience. Highly recommended and easy to listen to despite the subject matter. Thanks Brian.

Gene-ius

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The author is a bit full of himself.
Science is almost always a team effort.
it would be better balanced if a few other people were given credit.

Otherwise an excellent and informative book.

A fascinating story and very well explained

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