Spencer Wells collecting a DNA sample in Chad
Photograph by David Evans

Among the most fascinating scientific questions has been pinpointing where Homo sapiens first emerged, and retracing the routes our early ancestors followed to populate the globe. The new tools of molecular genetics are being used to unearth clues about our journey. In 2005, National Geographic launched one of the most ambitious scientific research initiatives ever undertaken, the Genographic Project. The project is led by National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Dr. Spencer Wells, who has dedicated his career to closing the gaps in our knowledge of human migration through DNA by gathering and analyzing the world’s largest collection of anthropological DNA samples from hundreds of thousands of participants worldwide and tracing it all back to Africa—over 60,000 years ago. Join Wells on an epic journey tracing the migration routes of our ancient ancestors and revealing the incredible tapestry of human diversity created along the way.

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