Genetic Tests
Have you ever watched one of the many crime scene investigation or forensic science TV shows? I'm sure you have, since they are on pretty much every channel these days.
So you are likely at least somewhat familiar with what can be learned with a simple DNA test. Not only can a DNA sample help catch a criminal, it can actually be used to help establish your own ancestry. It's genealogy at its high-tech best.
There are several companies online that offer DNA testing for genealogical purposes. The typical procedure is that you pay for a testing kit (a few hundred dollars), and you will receive swabs in the mail. You just swipe the inside of your mouth and send back the samples. Depending on the service, you will get a DNA report and your results will also be entered into a world-wide database.
Now, don't get too excited. These tests are fairly new, and there are a limited number of people in these databases for comparison purposes.
Even if you are not able to pinpoint any exact relatives, your DNA results can help you learn your ethnic heritage and possibly if you are descended from some historical person whose DNA is on record.
The science involved in this sort of testing is a bit beyond my scope of expertise. There are two basic kinds of tests: Y chromosome testing (only for males) and maternal mitochondrial testing. Maternal DNA is passed down only from a person's mother but is present in both men and women.
Either kind of test can be performed to different levels of precision, by testing for more DNA markers. A test with only a few markers is not as helpful for accurate comparisons as a test with more markers. You'll likely find the best tests have around 40 markers included. You can ask the service for more testing details, as they are better at explaining the science here than I am.
Here are some facilities that offer DNA testing for genealogical research:
This article was originally published at Suite101.com