Europe: An Unexpectedly Close-Knit Continent

In research conducted by scientists in California, it was found that Europeans

are more genetically similar to one another than was previously thought. Using

genetic information obtained from 2,257 people across Europe, scientists Peter

Ralph and Graham Coop were able to ascertain that even people as far apart as

UK and Turkey share genetic similarities. This can be traced back to a group of

ancestors that many Europeans share. These ancestors came to the continent 6,500

years ago, which is earlier than previously thought. It is through these shared

ancestors in the not-so-distant past that Europeans across the continent are connected,

and considered “one big family.” This finding, however, is said by researchers to

not mean much in terms of peace between groups. For example, if anti semitic white

supremacists from one country find that they are related to Ashkenazi Jewish people,

it is unlikely that these Anti Semitic people will change their ways just because they

discover that they are related to Ashkenazi Jewish people.



















Although the findings of this research would prove to be surprising to some,

I personally am not surprised by these findings. I’ve heard the theory before

that everyone on Earth is related to everyone through five points of connection,

whether it’s through a friend’s family member, or a friend’s friend’s friend. I have

also heard that many people are the descendents of the Islamic prophet, Muhammed,

including the current queen of England. I have a friend who is a descendent of the

prophet Muhammed, and this would mean that he is related to the queen of England.

If my friend and the queen of England are so close in relation, I find it easy to believe

that the people of Europe are related to one another, and I find it understandable that

although these people are related, bad blood will likely not disappear. Bad relations

between family are easy to come by, after all.