21. Africa Sounds Like a Wild Time

Africa stands out as the most diverse continent for human genetics. Unlike populations outside Africa, which underwent a bottleneck leading to decreased genetic diversity, African populations have retained a rich and varied genetic landscape.

This diversity is akin to a finely blended puree compared to the chunkier maps seen in European populations. Linkage disequilibrium maps, which outline sections of the genome commonly inherited together, reflect this complexity. In Africa, where genetic mixing has been ongoing without bottleneck events, these maps are more intricate and challenging to decipher.