Technology Allows Easy Access to Ancestral Origin
Antonio Regalado

If you've wondered about where you come from or if what you've been told about your ancestral origin is actually correct, then taking a genealogy test is an easy way to cure your curiosity. The results could be as expected, interesting or in some cases, a total shock. You just never know until you do it. Thanks to advanced technology, taking a genealogy test is easier than ever and relatively cheap. Spit in a tube at home, send it away, and in a short time you can uncover your ethnic mix, distant relatives, build your family tree and even learn about your health and certain traits.

There are three “types” of DNA tests that you can take. Autosomal DNA is inherited from both sides of your family and gives ethnicity estimates, with ancestral regions and origins broken down by percentage.  However, autosomal DNA gets diluted with each generation so by the time you reach the fifth great grandparents, for example, there is a chance you won’t have inherited any of their DNA. The second and third types are Y-chromosome DNA and mitochondrial DNA. Y-chromosome DNA tracks the direct male line of your family tree and mitochondrial DNA tracks the direct female line. Unlike the autosomal DNA, these don’t get diluted over generations, but only provide answers regarding a single line of your family tree. It’s worth noting that only males can do a Y-chromosome DNA test.

You've probably seen the commercials on television touting how easy it is to send your DNA away for answers about yourself. After all, the two biggest players in the game, Ancestry.com and 23andMe, spent about $130 million combined on advertising last year. Their spending seems to have paid off. According to an article from MIT Technology Review, more people took genetic ancestry tests in 2017 than in all other years combined. It's estimated that 1 in 25 American adults have now had genetic testing done. This figure could help spawn even more companies offering genetic analysis services other than genealogy testing, such as examining your health risks and diet.

Asking older family members about your roots is probably the most common way to find out about yourself. However, that information may or may not be accurate. And if you don’t have that option, technology now gives you an easy solution. But be warned. As we scanned through some reviews and testimonials of these tests, we found a shocking amount of people who were devastated to learn that everything they believed about their family background was wrong. And in some cases, DNA tests can link you to living people. Consider the proverbial can of worms this could open. Imagine the surprise (and family drama) of finding out about an unknown uncle or even a sibling. You could end up with more questions than answers! And with privacy breaches happening more and more regularly, it is important for consumers to read and understand privacy and consent results of all genetic testing companies.




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