Attu World: DNA Identifies Florida Accountant as Descendant of Genghis Khan

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DNA Identifies Florida Accountant as Descendant of Genghis Khan

Published Wednesday, June 07, 2006 by Attu | | E-mail this post

Tom Robinson had long wondered about his family tree. He never suspected its roots might lie in the Mongolian steppe.

The Florida accountant knew that his great, great-grandfather had come to the United States from England -- but beyond that his research drew a blank. So he turned to the burgeoning field of "bioarchaeology," having his DNA tested to see what it revealed about his origins.

He was in for a surprise. According to a British geneticist who pioneered the research, Robinson appears to be a direct descendant of Genghis Khan, the Mongol warrior who conquered vast tracts of Asia and Europe in the 13th century.