Molecular Biology And Human Diversity

The public is now paying considerable attention to the use of molecular evidence in studies of human diversity and origins. Much of the early work in this area was based on evidence from mitochondrial DNA, but this has now been supplemented by important new information from nuclear DNA from both Y chromosomes and the autosomes. The bulk of the material available is from living populations, but this is being extended by the study of DNA from archaic populations. The underlying models used in interpreting this evidence are based on the neutral theory of molecular evolution, but also consider the possible role of selection. This volume brings together much new evidence and methodology from an international group of scientists.