Genographic Newsletter: April 2011

View in Web browser. Follow April 2011 Pedro Paulo Vieira, conducts outreach with the Xavante people in central Brazil. Photo by Jorge Protodi Xavante. From the Field South America: Postdoc at the Genographic Center in South America and Brazilian native Pedro Paulo Vieira just returned from his second visit with the Xavante tribe in the Pimentel Barbosa territory of Brazil. He is currently working with the Xavante people in hopes to better understand the tribe's ancient migration routes. During this past visit, Pedro spent ten days in the village conducting Genographic outreach. In their local language, the Xavante refer to Pedro as T'serini'omön or Eagle Wing.   India: Genographic Principal Investigator Ramasamy Pitchappan, based at Madurai Kamaraj University in India, reports that his team is currently working with indigenous populations in the Indian states Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh to decipher their migratory history. East and Southeast Asia: The Genographic Center based in East Asia at Fudan University reports of its team's recent findings from an expedition to Xigazê (Shigatse), China. The team's sampling suggests that the Tibetan population has ancient roots that predate the last ice age. Genographic Post doc, Sonia Sagrista reports of the close relationship that the team has formed with the people of Xigazê and their eagerness to return soon.   Did You Know? • It takes your cells about eight hours to copy your entire genome when they divide. • Spencer Wells is a judge in the Google Science Fair. Check out his blog entry on the fair's website and learn how your budding Einstein can submit his or her project. • The Genographic Project has a Facebook page. "Like" us and recommend our page to your friends. • More than 400,000 people have participated in the Genographic Project by purchasing a Genographic Project Public Participation Kit. • An encore of The Human Family Tree will air at 4 PM ET on Thursday, April 7 and at 12 PM ET on Friday, May 27 on the National Geographic Channel. Check your local listings for more information.   Special Offer! Receive The Human Family Tree DVD FREE by adding it to your purchase of a Genographic Project Public Participation Kit. Your discount will be taken at checkout. Click on the button below to order. Offer lasts until 4/30/11—don't miss out. The Human Family Tree travels to one of the most diverse corners of the world—Queens, New York—to demonstrate how we all share common ancestors who embarked on very different journeys. Find out how, on a single day on a single street, with the DNA of 200 neighbors, the Genographic Project traced the ancestral footsteps of a few strangers to represent a microcosm of the whole word.   After waiting in line, a Cornell student swabs to participate in the Genographic Project. Photo by Colby Bishop. Cornell Genetic Ancestry Project Cornell University has launched its first ever Genetic Ancestry Project. Spencer Wells, a Rhodes Professor at Cornell, is working closely with genetics professor Chip Aquadro on the semester-long Project. Read about how 200 random undergraduates swabbed, along with Cornell's Genetic Ancestry project's plans for the semester. Visit our blog to see photos from the event. The participant's great-grandmother and her sisters in Quito, Ecuador, in the 1920s. Featured Migration Story My Espinosa Family: Having researched the origins of his paternal lineages for many years in Spain, Portugal, and Ecuador, a public participant traced his family's heritage back to Ecuador but then hit a brick wall. Hoping to learn more, he tested with the Genographic Project, and his results surprised him, revealing his ancient ancestors' roots in Western Europe while also supporting the origins of his surname, Espinosa. We want to hear your personal migration story too. Tell us what you learned about your deep ancestry from the Genographic Public Participation Kit. Has it changed the way you view yourself or others? Submit your story.   Illustration courtesy of IBM. IBM Celebrates 100 Years In celebration of its centennial anniversary, IBM is highlighting its 100 most iconic insights and initiatives. We're honored that IBM is featuring the Genographic Project as one of the first showcased icons of progress. Since 2004, IBM and National Geographic have worked closely as partners on the Genographic Project, and we're all excited to see this worthy initiative continue to contribute to a greater understanding of our shared human journey. Check out the Genographic icon and explore IBM's other achievements.   In the News The Oakland Tribune: "Back to the Roots" Cornell Chronicle: "200 students offer cheek samples for Cornell's Genetic Ancestry Project" Are you a subscriber to Science Magazine? Did you catch our piece—"A Random Sample"—in the February 4th edition?   Spencer Wells discusses ancient migration patterns with Edward Bleeker Middle School students. Photo by Lindsay Maiorana. The Genographic Project Visits Edward Bleeker Middle School As part of our partnership with The Silk Road Project, world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma's multidisciplinary education foundation, roughly 400 students at four different New York City public schools have the opportunity to trace their deep ancestry with the Genographic Project this school year. In early January, the Genographic team visited Edward Bleeker Middle School in Flushing, New York, to swab with the students and discuss where they think they might be from. Learn more and see photos from the event.   Support the Project Your tax-deductible donation can help us answer key questions about our shared deep ancestry and humanity's 60,000-year odyssey around the globe.       If you received this email from a friend and would like to subscribe to this or other National Geographic emails, click here. 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