Research Says Humans Share One Common Ancestor, and It’s Not Who You Think

Scientists have long studied human ancestry to better understand our origins, and recent research has revealed fascinating insights into just how interconnected we all are. Surprisingly, it turns out we all share one common ancestor, but it’s not who you might expect. Let’s dive into what this means and how it changes our understanding of human history.

The Family Tree of Humanity

It might sound incredible, but researchers suggest that every person with European ancestry is descended from Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor.¹ However, this is not an isolated case. Geneticist Adam Rutherford explains that the human family tree is much more interconnected than we think. The exponential growth of ancestors across generations means that branches of our family trees eventually loop back into each other, making us all much more closely related than we realize.

Read More: The Surprising Reason Why Most Humans Die Around the Age of 80 Years Old

Humanity’s Most Recent Common Ancestor

In 2004, mathematical modeling suggested that the most recent common ancestor (MRCA) of all living humans lived between 1400 B.C. and A.D. 55. This individual could have been alive during the time of Queen Nefertiti in Egypt. Regardless of where they lived, every human on Earth today is descended from this person, linking us all in an unexpected way.

The Genetic Isopoint – When All Our Ancestors Converged

The concept of a common ancestor (or “genetic isopoint”) refers to a point in history where every single person can trace their lineage to. This point in time is estimated to have occurred between 5300 and 2200 B.C.. At this point, anyone alive either became an ancestor of everyone living today or left no descendants. This discovery challenges the notion of ethnic purity, as it reveals how interconnected human populations have always been.

The Impact of Migration and Colonization

Even more recent historical events, such as European colonization beginning in 1492, have rapidly spread genetic material across the globe. By the present day, it is likely that no one in South America lacks European ancestry, due to the widespread genetic mixing that occurred during colonization. This reinforces the idea that humanity is incredibly interconnected, regardless of geographic isolation.

Read More: These Asian Sea Nomads Are the First Known Humans to Have a Genetic Adaptation to Diving

The Myth of a Single Founding Pair

Contrary to some claims, science does not support the idea that humans descended from just two individuals, like the biblical figures Adam and Eve. While DNA barcoding suggests that species may have experienced population bottlenecks in the past, the idea that humanity was reduced to just one common ancestor is highly improbable.² Instead, our ancestors likely lived in small but diverse populations spread across regions.

Blue Eyes – A Common Ancestor for Millions

One surprising revelation is that all blue-eyed people alive today share a single common ancestor. A genetic mutation that occurred 6,000 to 10,000 years ago altered the OCA2 gene, turning brown eyes blue.³ This mutation spread as humans migrated and intermarried, connecting blue-eyed individuals across various continents, from Denmark to Turkey to Jordan.

We Are All More Connected Than We Think

Modern genetic research has shown that our family trees are far more intertwined than we ever imagined. From the most recent common ancestor living just a few thousand years ago to the spread of genetic mutations like blue eyes, our shared history goes far beyond what we may have been taught. No matter where you are from, chances are you share ancestors with people from all over the world.

Read More: New Research Says Honeybees Can Detect Lung Cancer In Humans