Final answer:
Mitochondrial Eve is believed to have lived in Africa about 200,000 years ago, representing the most recent common matrilineal ancestor of all modern humans. Researchers analyze mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations to trace back to her and understand the evolutionary history of human populations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Where and When Did Mitochondrial Eve Live?
Mitochondrial Eve is believed to have lived in Africa around 200,000 years ago. She represents the most recent common ancestor through matrilineal descent for all modern humans, according to the analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). While not the first Homo sapiens female, her maternal line is the one from which all current human mtDNA originates.The DNA located in the mitochondria is inherited maternally, and because it experiences mutation at a more rapid rate than nuclear DNA, it facilitates the tracing of our evolutionary history. All other Homo sapiens females living at the same time as Mitochondrial Eve did not have an unbroken maternal line; thus, their mtDNA did not persist.Researchers study mtDNA mutations to understand the evolutionary timeline and the divergence of human populations. Every person today has mtDNA that has branched off from the original sequence that was once carried by Mitochondrial Eve, with variations caused by spontaneous mutations over time.