Mitochondrial Eve

Mitochondrial Eve is a name we give to a woman who lived a very long time ago. Scientists can use her mitochondrial DNA to trace her family back to today. Mitochondrial DNA is a special type of DNA that is passed down only from mother to child. So if scientists can look at your mitochondrial DNA, the same type of mitochondrial DNA that Mitochondrial Eve had, they can tell you how your family is related to hers. It’s kind of like a big family tree with Mitochondrial Eve at the very top.