David Lambert is a Professor at Griffith University’s School of Environment, and an expert on ancient DNA. He joined Amy McQuire to discuss in more detail a groundbreaking new study which has found Aboriginal people were the first people on this continent.
A study in 2001, arising from analysis of DNA in the samples of ancient Aboriginal people – including the 42,000 year old Mungo Man – suggested that there were people here before our ancestors. That research – 15 years ago – found that the DNA that had been attributed to Mungo Man, were not similar to other ancient skeletons, or modern Aboriginal people. Now this raised the possibility at the time, that a separate group of humans originated from South Asia, rather than the out-of-Africa theory which is currently the most accepted theory on human migration. There was a great deal of controversy. But that finding has been overturned in a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Scientists – which has used second generation DNA sequencing to re-examine the remains.
Prof Lambert and his colleagues were able to assemble two complete mitochondrial genomes from the sample taken around Mungo Man. One of those genomes, is related to modern Aboriginal people – it is the first complete mitochondrial genome of an ancient Aboriginal person. But what does this mean for the out-of-Africa theory? And what is DNA, what does it mean, and what is the scientific process involved in unlocking the secrets of our ancient history?
Check out the interview with Prof Lambert for more.