Now here's a provocative idea:
Taken together, the analyses in this study suggest a recent founding of the New World Amerind-speaking peoples by a small population of effective size near 70, followed by population growth in the New World.
70.
Obviously it's possible; theoretically all you need to establish a population is one breeding pair and an environment which allows that pair and its progeny to survive, but it kind of flies in the face of my idea of a large migration from Asia across a land bridge to North America.
Wait, there's more. The study suggests that the entire population of Asia at the time of the migration was roughly 9,000.
9,000.
About.com has a summary of the article. If you want all the nifty tables, though, you'll have to go the main one.
Posted by Linkmeister at May 25, 2005 11:24 AM...And boy, were their arms tired!
Still, in the face of declining biodiversity, it's nice to know that sometimes you can get by with a small genetic pool. Explains a lot about people, really.
Posted by: Christina at May 25, 2005 07:53 PMNow where'd I put my banjo?
Posted by: NTodd at May 26, 2005 12:21 PMNTodd, the banjo reference needs further explanation, unless you're thinking of "I come from Alabama, with a banjo on my knee..."
Posted by: Linkmeister at May 26, 2005 12:30 PMReference to the movie Deliverance.
Posted by: NTodd at May 26, 2005 01:08 PM