Female Supremacy Articles - Page 11

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A. It's a name for something my colleagues and I have been doing since the 1980's; we use a range of biological techniques on archaeological material so that we can learn more about past populations.

The field came to prominence because we've been able to use these techniques to isolate and amplify DNA from very old bones. I've gotten to work on the frozen body of the 9,000-year-old Ice Man who was found in the Italian Alps. Through DNA testing, we discovered he was related to a good friend of mine!

Beyond the interesting science, what has fascinated me about this work is how many people have grown interested in the genetics of their ancestors. People are absolutely fascinated by what the mitochondria, with its maternally inherited DNA, and the Y chromosome can reveal. As genetic studies have advanced, the Y chromosome has revolutionized genealogy because of the strong correlation between Y chromosomes and surnames. For instance, I've tested hundreds of people named "Sykes" and found that roughly 70 percent of us have the same Y chromosome, and therefore, must be descended from one man.

The End of Mankind

Why Women Don't Deserve Men by Anna Weiss

Red Letter Daze Contributor

The Cornell Daily Sun

May 6, 2004