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Added link between mitochondrial descent and intelligence
==Mitochondria Inheritance==
==Mitochondria Inheritance==
In most animal species, mitochondria appear to be primarily inherited through the maternal lineage, though some recent evidence suggests that in rare instances mitochondria may also be inherited via a paternal route. Typically, a sperm carries mitochondria in its tail as an energy source for its long journey to the egg. When the sperm attaches to the egg during fertilization, the tail falls off. Consequently, the only mitochondria the new organism usually gets are from the egg its mother provided. Therefore, unlike [[nuclear DNA]], [[mitochondrial DNA]] doesn't get shuffled every generation, so it is presumed to change at a slower rate, which is useful for the study of human [[evolution]]. [[Mitochondrial DNA]] is also used in forensic science as a tool for identifying corpses or body parts, and has been implicated in a number of genetic diseases, such as [[Alzheimer's disease]] and [[diabetes]].
In most animal species, mitochondria appear to be primarily inherited through the maternal lineage, though some recent evidence suggests that in rare instances mitochondria may also be inherited via a paternal route. Typically, a sperm carries mitochondria in its tail as an energy source for its long journey to the egg. When the sperm attaches to the egg during fertilization, the tail falls off. Consequently, the only mitochondria the new organism usually gets are from the egg its mother provided. Therefore, unlike [[nuclear DNA]], [[mitochondrial DNA]] doesn't get shuffled every generation, so it is presumed to change at a slower rate, which is useful for the study of human [[evolution]]. [[Mitochondrial DNA]] is also used in forensic science as a tool for identifying corpses or body parts, and has been implicated in a number of genetic diseases, such as [[Alzheimer's disease]] and [[diabetes]].
==Ethnic Differences==
Because of this slower mutation rate within mitochondrial DNA, human lineages can be more directly traced back through these inherited genes. ''Computational Cell Biology'' by Christopher Fall and Eric Marland indicates that this more-direct linkage allows for a correlation to be drawn between descent and certain traits, such as intelligence:
"The lineal descent of this genetic material makes it possible to more directly trace genetic links and indicates a strong correlation with traits, most interestingly intelligence. This indicates a link between genetic strains that can be measured objectively, although many researchers view such endeavors with distaste in fears of encouraging racist prejudices."<ref>Fall, Christopher, et. al. Computational Cell Biology. Boone, NC: Appalachian State University Press, 2002. 314.</ref>
==References==
==References==