Where do you really come from? And how did you get to where you live today? DNA studies suggest that all humans today descend from a group of African ancestors who—about 60,000 years ago—began a remarkable journey.

The Genographic Project is seeking to chart new knowledge about the migratory history of the human species by using sophisticated laboratory and computer analysis of DNA contributed by hundreds of thousands of people from around the world.

I was duly impressed even if the information my friend received was, of course, very generalized. He submitted his own DNA sample to trace his Y chromosome and his mother submitted hers in order to trace their mitochondrial DNA. You can learn more or get your own kit to participate here. I’m going to purchase a kit and try to convince my mother to do the same.

“Your individual results may confirm your expectations of what you believe your deep ancestry to be, or you may be surprised to learn a new story about your genetic background.”

It’s not conventional genealogy and you won’t learn anything new about your family, per se. Instead you’ll learn the path your genetic material took to get to you. That’s cool.