Ancestry and Genetics Quiz

How many ancestors would you theoretically have 40 generations ago?

• A billion

• A thousand

• A trillion

• A million

What is a significant factor that reduces the number of unique ancestors?

• Climate change

• Migration

• Natural selection

• Inbreeding

Approximately how many years ago did the common ancestor of all humans live?

• 3,000 years ago

• 10,000 years ago

• 100,000 years ago

• 1,000 years ago

What allows scientists to estimate how closely related individuals are?

• DNA mutations

• Blood type

• Height

• Eye color

What is the approximate difference in DNA base pairs between any two humans?

• 1 out of 10,000

• 1 out of 100,000

• 1 out of 100

• 1 out of 1000

What do DNA ancestry tests use to determine geographic origins?

• Fingerprints

• Hair samples

• Blood samples

• SNPs

What is a unique feature of mitochondrial DNA?

• It is not inherited

• It is inherited from both parents

• It is inherited only from the father

• It is inherited only from the mother

Where does the most ancient human mitochondrial DNA trace back to?

• Asia

• Australia

• Africa

• Europe

Who is 'mitochondrial Eve'?

• The first human to use tools

• The first human to walk upright

• The common maternal ancestor of all humans

• The first human to migrate out of Africa

What is the significance of mitochondrial DNA in tracing ancestry?

• It shows paternal lineage

• It provides an unbroken maternal lineage

• It indicates genetic mutations

• It reveals physical traits