The Seven Daughters of Eve unveils one of the most thrilling stories of genetic discovery since The Double Helix. In 1994, Professor Bryan Sykes, a leading authority on DNA and human evolution, was tasked with examining the frozen remains of a man trapped in glacial ice in northern Italy. This man, known as the Ice Man, was over five thousand years old.

Sykes's groundbreaking work led to the identification of a genetic descendant of the Ice Man living in Great Britain today. How was this possible? Through meticulous research into a remarkable gene that passes undiluted from generation to generation through the maternal line.

By examining thousands of DNA sequences worldwide, Sykes identified that within Europeans and North American Caucasians, there are only seven distinct genetic groups. These groups trace back to seven women, the "Seven Daughters of Eve"—Ursula, Xenia, Helena, Velda, Tara, Katrine, and Jasmine.

Sykes maps the migratory patterns of millions of their descendants and paints vivid portraits of their ancient worlds. His stories range from identifying the remains of Tsar Nicholas and Tsarina Alexandra using DNA samples from living relatives, to tracking the ancestry of a Caribbean woman whose family was sold into slavery back to central Africa.

Ultimately, Sykes's investigation reveals that our commonalities as humans are deeply embedded in our DNA, transcending the differences that separate us.