Genome data moves Darwin forward

U.S. researchers say data from the Human Genome Project are shedding new light on Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.

"Over the ages we cataloged the anatomical differences between people and eventually biochemical differences, too. Now we can get down to the molecular differences," Carlos D. Bustamante, a professor of computational biology at Cornell University, told The Washington Post. (NYSE:WPO)

Researchers said many common health problems -- such as obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure -- may have been caused by natural selection.

The report said more than 300 human genes show evidence of recent mutations and it is estimated that at least 10 percent of the human genome has undergone natural selection during the past 200,000 years.

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