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.
