john writes:
Unlike nuclear DNA, which is inherited from both parents and in which genes are rearranged in the process of recombination, there is usually no change in mtDNA from parent to offspring. Although mtDNA also recombines, it does so with copies of itself within the same mitochondrion. Because of this and because the mutation rate of animal mtDNA is higher than that of nuclear DNA,[2] mtDNA is a powerful tool for tracking ancestry through females (matrilineage) and has been used in this role to track the ancestry of many species back hundreds of generations.
Mitochondrial DNA - Wikipedia
This is also from wiki:
Mitochondrial Eve (mt-mrca) is the name given by researchers to the woman who is defined as the matrilineal most recent common ancestor (MRCA) for all living humans. Passed down from mothers to offspring for over a hundred thousand years, her mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is now found in all living humans: every mtDNA in every living person is derived from hers. Mitochondrial Eve is the female counterpart of Y-chromosomal Adam, the patrilineal most recent common ancestor, although they lived at different times.
Please note.
They mention Y chromosome Adam, yet they don't mention the problem in tracing ancestral heritage.
She is believed to have lived about 140,000 years ago in what is now Ethiopia, Kenya or Tanzania.[citation needed] The time she lived is calculated based on the molecular clock technique of correlating elapsed time with observed genetic drift.
In for a dime, in for a dollar.
If you accept the science re: mitochondrial Eve, you have to accept the evidence re: the molecular clock.
So there goes your 6,000 years.
In addition,
Homo sapiens has been around a lot longer than 140,000 years. More like 500,000. That should tell you something.
Mitochondrial Eve is the most recent common ancestor (MRCA) of all humans via the mitochondrial DNA pathway, not the unqualified MRCA of all humanity.
Got that? NOT the most recent common ancestor OF ALL HUMANITY.
You want to know how they know that?
Because tracing lineage thru mtDNA has the exact same kind of problems as tracing it thru the Y chromosome.
It misses hundreds of millions of ancestors.
If you're going to rely on wiki, be sure and read the whole thing next time.
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