There are two opposing views about origin of modern man. According to one view Homo erectus in Asia were the ancestors of modern man. A study of variation of DNA however suggested African origin of modern man. What kind of observation on DNA variation could suggest this ?
(a) Greater variation in Asia than in Africa
(b) Greater variation in Africa than in Asia
(c) Similar variation in Africa and Asia
(d) Variation only in Asia and no variation in Africa

Options

A. Greater variation in Asia than in Africa
B. Greater variation in Africa than in Asia
C. Similar variation in Africa and Asia
D. Variation only in Asia and no variation in Africa

Answer

A

Explanation

(a) There are two models is about origin of modem man (Homo sapiens sapiens), i.e.
(a) Multiregional model According to this view, modern humans evolved in many parts of the world from regional descendants . of Homo erectus who dispersed from Africa between 1 and 2 million years ago.
(b) Monogenesis model According to this view only African descendants of Homo erectus gave rise to modern humans.
In late 1980s Rebecca Cann and other geneticists supported this view on the basis of DNA of living humans. They compared the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of a multiathenic sample of more than 100 people representing four continents. The greater the difference between the mtDNAs of two peoples, the longer ago that mtDNAs diverged from a common source.
In late 1980s Rebecca Cann and other geneticists supported this view on the basis of DNA of living humans. They compared the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of a multiathenic sample of more than 100 people representing four continents. The greater the difference between the mtDNAs of two peoples, the longer ago that mtDNAs diverged from a common source.