Grow the tree of womankind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Created by a passionate group of citizen scientists and powered by FamilyTreeDNA, The Million Mito Project, is a project aimed at growing the tree of womankind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Through mitochondrial DNA testing, we are able to trace the migration of womankind and can therefore tell you where your maternal line ancestors came from and went. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Different locations of the world have specific haplogroups that can be further broken down into sub-haplogroups that are associated with general geographic locations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tree branches are defined by haplogroups. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Haplogroups are defined by SNPs, single nucleotide polymorphisms, also known as mutations, that occur at a specific point in time. When this occurs in a person, the variant is then passed down to all of the descendants of the individual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As time goes on, these haplogroup-defining mutations build up to form twigs, then branches, then the haplotree<\/a> backbone as we move further back in time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hundreds of thousands of people across the world have tested their mtDNA allowing scientists to define these haplogroups and their migration paths across the globe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Our knowledge is ever-changing and expanding when it comes to the journey of our ancestors. We still continue to discover, define and refine that journey today and there\u2019s so much more to learn. The more people that test, the more secrets we can unlock about the history of womankind. This is why we encourage everyone to the Million Mito Project and test your mtDNA with FamilyTreeDNA!<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow can I participate?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n