Human Genome Diversity Project- Opinion

Essay by juice_e_lucieHigh School, 10th grade June 2004

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The Human Genome Diversity Project (HGD Project) is an international project that seeks to understand the diversity and unity of the entire human species by studying their DNA. Luigi Sforza inspired the HGD Project and now there is a large storage base of DNA in California.

The project's aim is to piece together the puzzle of human evolution and document the genetic variation of the human species worldwide. The HGD Project is important because the information it gathers may help clarify the history of our species as a whole.

This scientific knowledge and evidence interests all human groups. This Project is important because by using this information we can help clarify the genetic variation among individuals (i.e. different indigenous groups) and also clarify the major human migrations and it may also settle the continuing debate about whether Homo sapiens evolved to modern humans in Africa or over the world and also many other unanswered questions about how we first appeared on earth.

Many Indigenous groups oppose this project because they believe it is like a human version of 'plant collecting expeditions'. It as also been compared to a more sophisticated form of collecting and preserving Indigenous People like those collections of mummies taken from their burial caves in violation of their rights.

Scientists and many non-scientists however, take great interest in this project because it can answer many of life's unanswered questions about humans as a species. The HGD project can also help resolve some fundamental scientific issues about how genetic change takes place in humans, how quickly humans adapt to changed environments and what those adaptations are.

I believe that the HGD project is a great idea because it provides increased knowledge for the entire world. We can never stop learning and should always find ways to clarify the...