The Garden of Eden may not have looked much like its traditional image of a lush, fertile corner of the Earth.

Instead, a genetic study of Africa suggests that the origin of humanity lies in a sandy, inhospitable region near the coastal border of Namibia and Angola.

The area is populated by the Bushmen, or San people, who may be the closest thing to a biblical Adam and Eve. ...

Scientists suggest that the clicking sounds characteristic of the San’s language may be a remnant of original human speech.

The conclusion emerges from the largest study of African genetics yet, conducted by an international team led by Sarah Tishkoff, of the University of Pennsylvania.