SCIENCE IN THE NEWS - Ever Wonder Where Your Ancient Ancesto

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS - Ever Wonder Where Your Ancient Ancestors Lived?
By Nancy Steinbach and Jill Moss¹

Broadcast: Tuesday, May 10, 2005

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VOICE ONE:

This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS, in VOA SPECIAL ENGLISH. I'm Barbara Klein.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Bob Doughty². On our program this week, we report on a new program to help fight the disease malaria³. But first, we talk about an effort to find genetic⁵ similarities among people.

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VOICE ONE:

Anyone with a computer, a credit card and one hundred dollars can now learn where their ancestors lived thousands of years ago. The National Geographic⁶ Society and International Business Machines have created a five-year project to identify the movements of ancient peoples. A group called the Waitt Family Foundation is providing money for the Genographic Project.

Many scientists believe that human beings first developed in what is now East Africa. Recent studies suggest that modern humans all came from a single African who lived about sixty thousand years ago.

The Genographic Project is an attempt to follow the path that led from this individual to everyone alive today. Project scientists will attempt to follow the ancient humans who moved away from East Africa. They say one way to do this is to study genetic material from people living today.

VOICE TWO:

The National Geographic Society is offering testing materials for the Project. Computer users with an Internet connection can order the materials from the group's Web site (http://www.nationalgeographic.com/genographic). A credit card number is required. The cost is about one hundred dollars.

The testing materials include two plastic containers and two sticks covered with cotton. Use the sticks to rub the inside of your mouth. Place the sticks in the containers and send them back.

Scientists in the American state of Arizona will test the genetic material on the sticks. The findings will be compared to those of ancient human groups with similar genes⁷. The results will be placed on the web site. Some of the money earned from the project will pay for other studies and aid native peoples around the world.

VOICE ONE:

The tests will show what genes you share with people in other parts of the world. The results will give you an idea of where your ancestors lived and how they changed over time.

Project scientists will use the results to create a map of the genetic connections that have been found. They expect this to show how human beings have developed since some of them left Africa sixty thousand years ago.

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VOICE TWO:

Each parent provides one half of a child's deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA⁸. This mix creates a new genetic plan. However, a piece of DNA called the Y chromosome⁹ is passed from father to son without changing. Only males have the Y chromosome. And, the Y chromosome never changes through time. Women pass what is called mitochondrial DNA to both sons and daughters. Mitochondrial DNA also does not change over time.

Some changes in DNA may take place naturally. Genetic experts call such changes markers. Geneticists can go back in time and follow a marker to when it first appeared. In this way, they are able to tell when and where a group of people developed.

VOICE ONE:

Markers make it possible for geneticists to follow the movements of human beings. The same markers often are found in people living in one area of the world. Project scientists say that such native groups are being lost as more people leave their traditional homelands.

Geneticists from ten countries will collect and study blood from native peoples with the clearest lines of unchanged DNA. Such groups include the native peoples of Tanzania, Mongolia and the United States. Project scientists say they expect to collect DNA from one hundred thousand people. They hope to create the largest gene⁴ bank in the world.

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VOICE TWO:

Some geneticists have problems with the Genographic Project. They question its plan to keep the blood of the native peoples as untreated DNA. Because of this, the genetic material cannot be shared with other scientists.

It is possible to treat cells so they will last forever. Project scientists say it will cost too much to do this. They also say that some native peoples object to the idea of their cells remaining alive after they die.

VOICE ONE:

Experts on privacy¹⁰ laws worry about what could happen to the genetic material collected by the project. They say people taking part in the project trust the National Geographic Society to keep their genetic information safe and private. They also say the people who provide blood need to be warned about businesses that could use the genetic information for other purposes. Medical insurance companies, for example, might request such information.

Project officials say they have taken steps to protect the privacy of those taking part. They say there is no way anyone will be able to link DNA in the study to any one person. They say their scientists will use only a small part of the genetic material to get the needed information. And, they say the project will not collect any information about an individual's health.

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VOICE TWO:

Spencer Wells is a geneticist who works for the National Geographic Society, in Washington, D.C. Mister Wells is leading the Genographic Project. He says the Project is a way to show that all the people in the world are linked genetically¹¹.

Mister Wells says he sees three main results for the project. The first is to answer questions about ancient human movement and explain differences among peoples living today. Another is to demonstrate the problems faced by native peoples around the world and perhaps stop the loss of their cultures. The third is to educate people about the sciences of genetics and anthropology¹². He says the idea that we all share some of the same ancestors may help change some people's ideas about different racial groups.

Many scientists say the Genographic Project is an exciting step in the effort to discover and understand the past. Project officials say they consider the work to an investigation¹³ of the similarities shared by us all.

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VOICE ONE:

You are listening to SCIENCE IN THE NEWS, in VOA Special English. I'm Barbara Klein with Bob Doughty in Washington.

The World Bank has announced a program to help fight malaria. The international lender says the fight against the disease has been too slow and uneven¹⁴.

The goal is to expand access to anti-malarial drugs and preventions such as bed nets treated with chemicals that kill mosquitoes. Those insects spread the organism that causes an estimated five hundred million cases of malaria each year. Most are in southern Africa. The disease is getting more difficult to fight as the organism develops resistance to traditional treatments.

The new Global Strategy and Booster Program will include a special committee. Its job will be to make sure that anti-malaria efforts are part of lending programs.

VOICE TWO:

World Bank officials estimate that five hundred million to one thousand million dollars in spending is possible over the next five years.

The World Health Organization says malaria kills more than one million people a year. Most of the victims are children under the age of five. Pregnant¹⁵ women are also at greater risk from the disease.

Africa pays a huge economic price for malaria. The W.H.O. says the disease costs Africa about twelve thousand million dollars a year in lost productivity¹⁶. The health agency says malaria has slowed development on the continent.

The new World Bank program also will increase help to other areas affected¹⁷ by malaria. Southeast Asia has the second highest death rate from the disease. About eight percent of malaria deaths happen in that part of the world.

VOICE ONE:

Jean-Louis Sarbib is an official at the World Bank. He says the plan is good for reducing human suffering and good for economic growth.

When adults get sick, they have to stop working. Mister Sarbib notes that when children and teachers become infected, education also suffers as a result of malaria.

World Bank officials say they are building on lessons learned from malaria control programs in Brazil, Eritrea, India and Vietnam. Mister Sarbib says much progress has been in some places, but efforts have been slower and more limited than expected.

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VOICE TWO:

This program was written by Nancy Steinbach and Jill Moss. Cynthia Kirk was our producer. I'm Bob Doughty.

VOICE ONE:

And I'm Barbara Klein. Join us again next week at this time for another SCIENCE IN THE NEWS, in VOA Special English.

1 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。

2 doughty   

adj.勇猛的，坚强的

参考例句：

• Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。
• The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。

3 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

4 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

5 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

6 geographic   

adj.地理学的，地理的

参考例句：

• The city's success owes much to its geographic position. 这座城市的成功很大程度上归功于它的地理位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Environmental problems pay no heed to these geographic lines. 环境问题并不理会这些地理界限。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

7 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

8 DNA   

(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸

参考例句：

• DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。

9 chromosome   

n.染色体

参考例句：

• Chromosome material with exhibits of such behaviour is called heterochromatin.表现这种现象的染色体物质叫做异染色质。
• A segment of the chromosome may become lost,resulting in a deletion.染色体的一个片段可能会丢失，结果产生染色体的缺失。

10 privacy   

n.私人权利，个人自由，隐私权

参考例句：

• In such matters,privacy is impossible.在这类事情中，保密是不可能的。
• She wept in the privacy of her own room.她在自己房内暗暗落泪。

11 genetically   

adv.遗传上

参考例句：

• All the bees in the colony are genetically related. 同一群体的蜜蜂都有亲缘关系。
• Genetically modified foods have already arrived on American dinner tables. 经基因改造加工过的食物已端上了美国人的餐桌。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 基因与食物

12 anthropology   

n.人类学

参考例句：

• I believe he has started reading up anthropology.我相信他已开始深入研究人类学。
• Social anthropology is centrally concerned with the diversity of culture.社会人类学主要关于文化多样性。

13 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

14 uneven   

adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的

参考例句：

• The sidewalk is very uneven—be careful where you walk.这人行道凹凸不平—走路时请小心。
• The country was noted for its uneven distribution of land resources.这个国家以土地资源分布不均匀出名。

15 pregnant   

adj.怀孕的，怀胎的

参考例句：

• She is a pregnant woman.她是一名孕妇。
• She is pregnant with her first child.她怀了第一胎。

16 productivity   

n.生产力，生产率，多产

参考例句：

• Farmers are introducing in novations which increase the productivity.农民们正引进提高生产力的新方法。
• The workers try to put up productivity.工人设法提高生产率。

17 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。