The made-for-cable documentary film The Real Eve is predicated on the theory that the human race can be traced to a common ancestor. The mitochondrial DNA of one prehistoric woman, who lived in Africa, has according to this theory been passed down from generation to generation over a span of 150,000 years, supplying the "chemical energy" to all humankind.
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Reviews
I'm for the fact we originated in one spot. That I can buy. But, most of this film seems to be about trying to convince people that we all changed color as time went on. That's got to be one of the dumbest things I have ever heard. This film doesn't even go into explaining our different bone structures, builds, hair, voices. We just changed color? One person who commented has said, "I must admit it is frustrating knowing about this and still having to endure the ignorance and closed minded people who perpetuate that "race" exists."We are different races AND we are all the same. I don't know why we have some individual characteristics. But, this movie is B/S and it had some potential.
I thought the 'Out of Africa' debate was finally settled. Apparently not judging from some of the comments on YouTube where I watched this. Fortunately, reviewers at IMDb are more measured in their remarks.But the facts are pretty clear on this point. Homo sapiens began leaving Africa around 80,000 years ago, and via Yemen and the Levant, spread all across the world. Some people don't 'like' the idea that we're ALL African under the skin. And some still 'hate' science and cling to the Biblical stories as if they were literal truth. Too bad. They thus miss the point of Science AND of the Bible.One of the best documentaries I've seen on the 'final' adaptations that made us the beings we are today. I'd like to see more on the meeting with Homo neanderthalensis in Europe, but it's covered amply in other docs so it's a minor criticism.I'd like to commend Mark Thomas' music for its grace and competence. In a few key moments it is quite touching.A nice balance of science and 'human-ness'. 8 out of 10.
Mitochondrial DNA is passed from mother to children, both male and female, unchanged and it mutates at a predictable rate; i. e., the more the genetic mutations in the DNA, the more ancient the origin of the population. Using these facts, some scientists are studying mitochondrial DNA to try to trace back the origins of the human race. Using this method, the scientists have traced the human race to one female in Africa several million years ago. Then they traced the migration patters of her descendants as they spread across the earth.The Real Eve is a fascinating documentary presenting a new and controversial theory of human evolution. It does what all good documentaries do, it makes you think, and it entertains at the same time. I enjoyed it very very much and anyone interested in human evolution would probably enjoy it also.