NAIROBI, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Kenya on Monday hosted the first conference to be held in Africa aimed at discussing research findings pointing at genetic traits of ancient man and his gradual evolution over the ages.
Convened by National Museums of Kenya and partners, the three-day international ancestral DNA conference has gathered policymakers, scientists and researchers to explore how human evolution has impacted civilization, advances in medicine and economic development.
Stanvas Ongalo, acting director-general of National Museums of Kenya, said that genetic mapping will be crucial to understanding how ancient humans survived and forged relationships.
Ongalo added that advanced study and research on human evolution will help inform future response to diseases, environmental disasters and social tensions linked to scarcity of resources.
The study on genetic traits of ancient humans will help inform present generations on unique attributes of their ancestors, how they coexisted and responded to calamities such as disease outbreaks, said Mary Gikungu, director of National Repository and Research at National Museums of Kenya.
According to Gikungu, the sub-Saharan African region is an epicenter of landmark archeological findings that would help unravel human evolution and how it relates to the modern world.
"The study on ancient humans found in Africa will help us understand how they harnessed knowledge and innovative tools to sustain themselves and cope with disasters," Gikungu said.
She called for investments in supportive infrastructure, collaborative research and public outreaches to promote understanding of human evolution in Africa and how it shaped modern civilizations.
Emmanuel Ndiema, head of Earth Sciences Department at the National Museums of Kenya, said the country has intensified research on genetic composition of ancient humans, their migration patterns, and vulnerability to diseases and climatic shocks.
Ndiema added that as the epicenter of numerous discoveries on remains of ancient humans, Kenya is in a vantage position to support other African countries to strengthen their research on human evolution. ■