Humanity Has More Mothers Than Fathers

     A new DNA analysis of the population has uncovered that mothers outnumber fathers throughout much of human history. These genetic findings show evidence of polygyny and other reproductive rituals from people who migrated out of Africa. Study researcher Mark Stoneking, from Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, hypothesized that more women were reproducing because not all men could afford wives or sometimes men would marry many wives. This cultural norm resulted in women contributing more to the genetic gene pool of the population than men.
     A new method was used by Stoneking and his colleagues to examine genetic variation in the male Y-chromosome. By looking at one part of the Y-chromosome, Stoneking found all of the genetic variants, or slight differences in the order of DNA's "letters" in that region. 623 male DNA samples from 51 different populations around the world were studied. These samples were then compared to the paternal inherited Y-chromosome. 
     Results showed women migrated more than men did, leaving their hometowns for marriage, spreading their DNA wider between populations and creating more genetic variability. Men were more likely to stay, thus creating sons with more genes in each population. Each DNA sample was able to give a detailed story and although there may be an equal number of men and women in the world, women are shown to be reproducing more than men. 
   
     I found this study amazing. For a single strand of DNA to reveal so much about human history is incredible. You can only wonder what other studies and findings can be made about human population and gene variation using this analysis in the future.