How Far You Have to Go Back to Find Everyone’s Common Ancestor

If you’re ever feeling lonely, remember this statistic: You’re related to every human being on the planet. And you don’t need to go back that far to find where your lineages intersect. Every person alive today shares a common ancestor who lived a mere 3000 years ago.

Because humans are so new as a species, your global family is especially tight-knit. Chimps living in the same jungle in Africa, for example, have more genetic variation between them than you have with someone on the opposite side of the planet. For more facts about how billions of people ended up in your family tree, check out the video below from It’s Okay To Be Smart.