Harley's Environmental Biology Blog: Mitochondrial Eve

Mitochondrial Eve is the name given to the matrilineal most recent common ancestor. She was the woman from whom all living humans today descend from on their mother's side. This is possible because all mitochondrial DNA is passed from mother to offspring without recombination. Mitochondrial Eve is the female counterpart of Y-Chromosomal Adam, the patrilineal most recent common ancestor, but they lived thousands of years apart. Here is a diagram showing how this would have worked.

The existence of a matrilineal most recent common ancestor also explains how there are people all over the world who can look very different and still share one common ancestor. Mitochondrial Eve is believed to have lived in East Africa before a major shift occurred, in which people began to migrate to other parts of the world.

After many years of living in new areas with new conditions, people began to change. The attributes that may have been useful to them in their old habitat might not have done them any good in their new habitat. Over time the changes became more pronounced until they were common to every child born in this new area, explaining the existence of multiple races spread out over the world.

Iman (Somalian Model)