The nation that resembles Turks the most has been revealed.

Through the conducted studies, scientists have revealed the genetic similarities between different regions and determined which society the Turks are genetically closest to.

As of 2018, Turkey has allowed millions of citizens to access their ancestry information through e-Government, providing data on ancestry information dating back to the 18th century and the cities where they lived. This development has led to millions of citizens becoming curious about their origins and conducting extensive research in recent years, resulting in a high demand for companies that perform ancestry determination through DNA testing and saliva samples. However, experts have warned that reports prepared by teams whose areas of expertise are not fully proven should not be trusted, and emphasized the need to examine scientific articles prepared on the subject.

HERE IS THE NATION THAT MOST RESEMBLES TURKS

In this context, a study conducted in 2021 was recently circulated on social media. In the comprehensive study led by the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics at Bilkent University, research was conducted with the participation of Koç University Suna İnan Kıraç Foundation, Health Sciences, Rockefeller, Yale, Cardiff universities, and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where the DNA of approximately 4,000 individuals from 81 provinces of Turkey was analyzed.

MORE THAN 4,000 PEOPLE WERE STUDIED

To determine which society Turks are genetically closest to, the DNA of approximately 4,000 individuals from 81 provinces was researched. Prof. Dr. Tayfun Özçelik, one of the coordinators of the project and a faculty member at Bilkent University, stated the following about the study: "The results of our study revealed that Turkey has a genetic integrity and contains a high level of genetic diversity."

OUR GENES ARE SIMILAR TO ITALY AND SPAIN

Özçelik noted that Anatolia serves as a bridge between Asia, Europe, and Africa, stating, "From a phylogenetic perspective, the Turkish society reflects the effects of this bridging role. It was observed that the Turkish society has a close relationship with people living in the Tuscany region of Italy. The second country identified with this close relationship is Spain. These findings may reflect the effects of the migration of Anatolia's first farmers to Europe during the Neolithic period," he said.

MIGRATION EFFECT IS VERY HIGH

Turkey's geographical location creates a genetic bridge between the East and the West. Migration events have continued to sustain this situation since the Old Stone Age in Anatolia. Özçelik stated, "In the principal component analysis, we observed that the genetic structure of the Turkish society is quite variable among different individuals, but individuals do not form genetically separate clusters. There are common genetic components between the Turkish society and the Balkan, Caucasian, and Middle Eastern societies," he expressed.