Shetland: Finally Home

There is a strand of DNA within the mitochondrion organelles of each of our cells that has been passed from mother to daughter since the very first human. I've always found it fascinating that we can each trace out ancestry back to mitochondrial Eve. I've read pretty extensively on mitochondrial genetics, and how the earths population is related to one another.

Now, I'm taking it a step further. I submitted myself to have my own mitochondrial DNA analyzed for the Shetland Mitochondrial DNA Project. It's purpose is to help find genetic cousins and estimate Pictish and Scandinavian ancestry in Shetlands population. Not everyone who lives in Shetland is eligible. The following Shetland surnames are all found within my maternal lineage, which makes me able to participate: Anderson, Balfour, Cumming, Hay, Jacobson, Leask, Mowat, Nicolson, Tait. A whole list of surnames who are eligible to participate in this Shetland genetics project are available at the following website:

http://www.davidkfaux.org/shetlandislandsSurnameList.html

If any of these names appear in your maternal ancestry, you are can be a part of the mitochondrial DNA study. If any of these surnames are in your paternal ancestry, you are eligible for the Y-DNA study.

Anybody have further information about this project? Please comment! Do you find this type of scientific discussion interesting, like me? You should check out these websites and books:

http://www.davidkfaux.org/shetlandislandsmtDNA.html

http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/AJHG/journal/issues/v68n3/002146/002146.html

http://www.clan-leask.us/active/index.asp?tlvl=stdy&sctn=ydna

Power, Sex, Suicide: Mitochondria and the Meaning of Life by Nick Lane

The Web of Life by Fritjof Capra

Human Mitochondrial DNA and the Evolution of Homo Sapiens by Hans-Jurgen Bandelt, Martin Richards, and Vincent Macaulay