5 Reasons to Save Your Grandmother’s DNA – A Busy Day Re-post

1.You got those big blue eyes from your grandmother, but chances are you inherited less desirable genes as well.We inherit our DNA from our parents, who inherited it from their parents.Since we all possess genes that can cause or contribute to disease, knowing one’s DNA and family medical history can be a great resource for someone who learns they have a genetic disorder.

2.Full genome sequencing is right around the corner!The X-prize quest for the $1000 genome will lead to efficient and affordable whole-genome sequencing.As commercial companies crop up and compete for customer’s business, leading to even lower prices.

3.Your grandmother’s DNA contains clues to her ancestry.X-chromosome, mtDNA, and autosomal genealogy tests contain clues to a person’s ancestry, both recent and ancient. ... Click to read more!

RootsTelevision & Megan Smolenyak at the FGS Conference

For all you lucky people that live in or near Indiana, note the following, from DearMYRTLE:

Roots Television at FGS
Roots Television would like to invite you to join us at exhibit booths 318 and 320 at the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) 2007 Conference from August 15-18!

Come meet Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak, Dick Eastman and a special surprise guest (on opening day) in Fort Wayne, Indiana at the Grand Wayne Convention Center, 120 West Jefferson Blvd. Throughout the conference, we’ll feature the latest and greatest programs from the Roots Television website. Visit us to be among the first to learn about our Societies & Libraries contest ($1,000 prize to the winning organization!) and to watch Dick Eastman and our surprise guest conduct interviews (or maybe even be interviewed yourself!). Be sure to come by to share in the excitement! ... Click to read more!

The Copernican Principle

I saw a recent article in the New York Times, “A Survival Imperative for Space Colonization” that grabbed my attention.I know it isn’t necessarily related to DNA, but I loved the article and the essence behind it, The Copernican Principle.

The Copernican Principle, is named after Nicolaus Copernicus, who stated that the Earth is not in a central, specially favored position.Although it might look like our galaxy is the center of the Universe, observers in all other galaxies would observe the same thing.This idea has been applied to the field of statistics.For example, if you are observing something and your location is not special, then you are observing the thing at a random point during its existence.That is, there is a 95% chance that you are seeing it in the middle 95% of its existence, and not during the beginning 2.5%, or the last 2.5%.That idea can be expressed using the following formula: ... Click to read more!

A Map to The Genetic Genealogist

I think it is every blogger’s dream to have thousands of readers and rss subscribers waiting for your every post and checking the blog for new information first thing in the morning.Of course, there are very few blogs like that.People typically find new blogs through a variety of means, including links from other blogs, links from social networks or directories, and often through search portals.Here are the current top 15 searches that lead people to The Genetic Genealogist:

  • 23andme
  • genetic genealogist
  • amish genealogy database
  • genetic genealogy
  • anne wojcicki
  • craig venter
  • free matriclan & patriclan dna tests
  • wireless healthcare
  • robson encyclopedia
  • afro-brazilian roots bbc research
  • amish genetic mutations
  • blaine bettinger
  • reunio cohanim
  • mitomap
  • dna african american kittles
  • ... Click to read more!

    Comment on ‘A Lonely Surname’

    Earlier this week I posted about my rare surname and the genetic bottleneck my particular branch of the family tree is experiencing. Later that day a visitor stopped by and left their own story (as a comment) relating to family trees and genetic genealogy, and it was so interesting that I thought I’d share it:

    “Blaine said:
    “You would think that after 193 years there should be hundreds of us, but that’s not how genealogy or genetics works.”

    I was shocked when I realized that my brothers are at the end state of our yDNA.
    Lorenzo P. (our gr-grandfather)from Italy had three sons. Two “daughtered out.” Our grandfather Agostino had two sons. One son had a son, the other son had two sons. None of those sons have had children. One had died, and the others are no longer married, and not likely to do so again. That is the end of Lorenzo’s line in the US. Perhaps he had brothers in Italy that we have yet to find, and the yDNA line continues. ... Click to read more!

    Interviewed at EyeonDNA

            I was recently interviewed by Hsien at EyeonDNA.  She asked some great questions about the field of genetic genealogy, and I hope you’ll check it out.

              I consider my new friendship with Hsien and other fellow bloggers to be one of the great successes of this blog, and I thank her for the opportunity to share my enthusiasm for genetic genealogy with her readers!