How borders are drawn and enforced has far-reaching consequences, whether we live on either side of them or halfway across the world.

This article is more than 2 years old.

October 6, 2016 This article is more than 2 years old.

We already knew humanity started in Africa. What we didn’t know was when our ancestors migrated beyond the continent and across the globe.

Three recent studies published in Nature have answered that question, identifying a single exodus that took place more than 50,000 years ago. The researchers collectively analyzed the genomes of 787 people from more than 280 populations that included Mayans, Sherpas, and African pygmies. This was unique because prior research sequenced the genomes of people primarily from Europe and China.

What the video above to see how the migration made its way across the globe.