Your ancestors aren't who you think they are | David Reich: Full Interview

What if one of our oldest ideas about ancestry is simply wrong? David Reich argues that ancient DNA has exposed the myth of purity and uncovered a far messier history of who we are and where we came from. ❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: https://bit.ly/welcometothewell Over the last 15 years, data on ancient DNA has upended the old story of human history. In this full-length interview, geneticist David Reich explains how new findings have challenged the family tree model of ancestry and revealed a past shaped by migration, interbreeding, disappearance, and constant change. From Neanderthals and Denisovans to the myths of purity that still shape modern identity, Reich shows how the last decade of research has rewritten what we thought we knew about human origins. The result is a much stranger, more dynamic picture of the human story, one that forces us to rethink ancestry, evolution, and the deep history of who we are. 0:00 Part 1: How ancient DNA re-explains the world 6:24 A new scientific instrument 16:04 Part 2: Human history is not a family tree 24:37 The pattern that wouldn’t go away 28:44 Part 3: Rethinking human evolution models 33:54 The genome in motion 36:55 Part 4: What genetics does and doesn’t say about difference 45:15 How is this useful? Read the full video transcript: https://bigthink.com/videos/your-ance... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍ Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds. So what do they think? How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions? Let’s dive into The Well. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms: ❍ Facebook: https://bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: https://bit.ly/thewellIG