The Human Family Tree

2009
7.2| 1h30m| en
Details

Dr Spencer Wells retraces the footsteps of 200 random New Yorkers and proves they are all cousins. On the most diverse street in the most diverse city in the most diverse country in the world, a team of National Geographic scientists swab the cheeks of some 200 random New Yorkers. The goal: to retrace our ancestral footprints and prove we are all cousins in the “family of man.” Cutting edge science, coupled with a cast of New Yorkers – each with their own unique genetic history - will help paint a picture of these amazing journeys. Ultimately, Man’s First Migrations answers some of humanity’s most burning questions, such as who we are and where we come from, and forces us to change how we think not only about our relationships with our neighbours, but ourselves.

Director

Producted By

National Geographic

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Reviews

Gurlyndrobb While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.
Tobias Burrows It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.
Brenda The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one
Sarita Rafferty There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.
worleythom Tells us all humans descend from one man who lived in Africa about 60,000 years ago, and that we all descend from one woman who lived in Africa 150,000 to 200,000 years ago. People had left Africa earlier, yet everyone alive today descends from these two relatively recent individuals.That all Europeans, Asians, and Native Americans descend from people who lived in Central Asia 50,000 years ago.That the Tova volcanic eruption in Southeast Asia some 74,000 years ago was a setback, and that there were other near-extinction events, presumably climate-related.That most human genetic diversity today remains in Africa: the rest of the globe descends from only two main lines of migrants. Most human tribes never left Africa.It's clear that the scientists who did the genomic research to learn this, have a map of when and where genetic markers first appear, and where they travel.But we are shown only some of it, and only as an aside. Most of the show is of people today, most of it in Queens, New York, and a lot of the show is of people getting their cheeks swabbed.There's a fascinating story to tell, of human migration. We're given bits of it, along with a lot of not much. Even the magnificent cave paintings of Southern Europe are given a just quick camera pan; as much time is spent showing a woman in New York drawing on a pad of paper.So, as an update to Bronowski's epic The Ascent of Man, it leaves much to be desired. As How I Spent My Saturday, by the chief swabber of the genome project, it's well done.

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