Only 200,000 years ago.
Mitochondrial Eve is the last common ancestor of all humans.
(
Peter_G,
Mon 24 May 2010, 22:56,
archived)
What a slapper she must have been
(
Tribs 🦇 ↓ dn ʎɐʍ sᴉɥʇ ↓🦇,
Mon 24 May 2010, 23:08,
archived)
Not so
She's only the most recent *matrilineal* common ancestor of us all. Y-Chromosomal Adam lived much more recently -- probably 70,000 years ago or so, and he's the most common patrilineal ancestor.
(
boris the spider,
Tue 25 May 2010, 0:21,
archived)
What a player he must have been.
(
Peter_G,
Tue 25 May 2010, 0:56,
archived)