Final answer:
Mitochondrial genomics is crucial for tracing matrilineal ancestry and understanding human evolution, with all humans connected to a common matrilineal ancestor, Mitochondrial Eve, in Africa around 200,000 years ago.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reason for studying mitochondrial genomics that is most directly important for humans is to trace the matrilineal ancestry and understand human evolutionary history. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is unique because it is inherited exclusively through the maternal line, which allows for the construction of a genetic timeline by analyzing mtDNA mutations. Molecular evidence suggests that at some point all humans had mtDNA inherited from a common ancestor, known as Mitochondrial Eve, who is estimated to have lived in Africa around 200,000 years ago. Additionally, the non-recombination and exclusively maternal inheritance of mtDNA make it a powerful tool for studying human migrations and the development of various populations over time.