The woman known as 'mitochondrial Eve' is the common ancestor of all living humans, identified through mitochondrial DNA.

She is estimated to have lived about 200,000 years ago in present-day Botswana, during the period when modern humans emerged.

Mitochondrial Eve was not the only female in her time, but her lineage has survived while the rest have become extinct.

It is so named because mitochondrial DNA is inherited exclusively through the maternal line, without mixing with paternal DNA.

Mitochondria are cell organelles responsible for energy production. They are essential for cell function.

Mitochondrial DNA is a molecule containing 37 genes. It is different from the nuclear DNA found in the cell nucleus.

The unique transmission of mitochondrial DNA by mothers makes it a powerful tool for studying human evolution.

Over generations, mitochondrial DNA accumulates mutations at a constant rate. This makes it possible to trace maternal lineages over time.

These mutations are used to reconstruct family trees and understand the evolutionary history of human populations.

These studies have provided valuable information on human migrations and the genetic diversity of current populations.