Final answer:
DNA research can create a mitochondria map of the human species by examining mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which is inherited maternally and mutates rapidly, allowing scientists to trace genealogy and evolutionary relationships back to an ancient common ancestor known as Mitochondrial Eve.
Step-by-step explanation:
DNA research has the potential to provide a mitochondria map of the human species due to its focus on genetic variations. Mitochondria contain their own DNA, which is passed on exclusively from the mother to the offspring, and this mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutates at a rapid rate. The tracing of mtDNA allows molecular anthropologists to determine the divergence timelines of living human populations. Since there is no recombination in mtDNA, barring novel mutations, a child's mitochondrial genes will be exactly the same as its female genetic contributor, connecting individuals along a matrilineal line back to a Mitochondrial Eve.
The reason for studying mitochondrial genomics is important for humans because it helps to trace our evolutionary relationships and build a clearer picture of human genealogy. With about 1700 mitochondria in each cell, the densely packed mtDNA with its 37 genes serves as a consistent marker for determining ancestral lines and understanding evolutionary histories.