WHY THE KHOISAN LOOK ASIAN.(Are They Related?)
#khoisan
This video explores the genetic relationship between the Khoisan (San and Khoi) peoples of Southern Africa and Asian populations. While the Khoisan represent the earliest divergence from the human ancestral gene pool, is there a direct link to Asia?
We analyze mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), the evolution of the epicanthic fold, and how environmental adaptation shaped humans as they migrated out of Africa thousands of years ago. Join us for a breakdown of haplogroups and human prehistory.
To understand the connection between the Khoisan and East Asians, one must look at mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which traces maternal ancestry. The Khoisan populations possess high frequencies of Haplogroup L0, the most ancient specific haplogroup in the human family tree.
According to a landmark study by Tishkoff et al. (2009) published in the journal Science, the San people harbor the highest levels of genetic diversity of any human population globally. This diversity suggests they are the oldest continuous population on Earth. The study indicates that the divergence between the San and other populations occurred approximately 100,000 to 150,000 years ago. Consequently, the ancestors of Eurasians (including East Asians) were once part of a larger African population that shared a common heritage with the ancestors of the Khoisan before migrating out of the continent.
