Hi,
As fans of genetic genealogy, we are always interested in new applications. Here are a couple of articles about predicting appearance from a DNA sample:
http://io9.com/5542776/how-forensics-experts-use-dna-to-create-mugshots-of-a-criminals-face
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=portrait-in-dna
Both of these articles feature a recent study that identified characteristics of a man who lived over 4,000 years ago. His blood type was A+, he had indicators for male-pattern baldness, dark skin, and was likely stout or square of build.
It may be that within years there will be genealogical applications for this. Could the future bring a DNA test that allows us to "see" some of our ancestors?
Lalia Wilson for the Taylor DNA Project
Showing posts with label human DNA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label human DNA. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Success in Finding Your Ancestors
Your participation in the Family Tree DNA project is to find your ancestors. Most likely your fantasy was that you would swab your cheek, send in the sample, and a few days later get a letter depicting your family tree! And most likely that did not happen.
In order to determine your family tree several things need to happen. Some of those things have to do with having closely related people in the FTDNA database. Several hundred thousand samples are in the database. It is the largest one in the world, at least about which there is public knowledge and public access. However, there are close to 7 billion people on the planet. So the samples only represent about one for every 15,000 people. The samples also are not a random sample of human DNA, but instead a sample of people who (for the most part) live in North America, have college educations, have the means to participate in the project, and have an interest in genealogy.
Usually participants enter the project because they have heard about it from a family member or a friend. Thus, we have clusters of people with known common ancestors. And they already know about their shared connection and are seeking more connections to help them look back in time to earlier ancestors.
To accomplish this goal, more participation in the Taylor project as well as other projects will bring in more samples. (Since there are so many Taylors, telling people about the project will inevitably bring more Taylors into the project.) In addition to the samples, we need two more things from you: a willingness to share data and cooperate with other project members—your more distant cousins—and as accurate a family tree as you can provide. For the family tree, follow the guidelines you received from Leigh Taylor to supply a tree that is easily read, is useful, and keeps information about living people private.
Then be patient. If your relative who has the missing clue isn’t already in the project, he may be soon!
Wishing all of us good luck and good family connections!
Lalia
In order to determine your family tree several things need to happen. Some of those things have to do with having closely related people in the FTDNA database. Several hundred thousand samples are in the database. It is the largest one in the world, at least about which there is public knowledge and public access. However, there are close to 7 billion people on the planet. So the samples only represent about one for every 15,000 people. The samples also are not a random sample of human DNA, but instead a sample of people who (for the most part) live in North America, have college educations, have the means to participate in the project, and have an interest in genealogy.
Usually participants enter the project because they have heard about it from a family member or a friend. Thus, we have clusters of people with known common ancestors. And they already know about their shared connection and are seeking more connections to help them look back in time to earlier ancestors.
To accomplish this goal, more participation in the Taylor project as well as other projects will bring in more samples. (Since there are so many Taylors, telling people about the project will inevitably bring more Taylors into the project.) In addition to the samples, we need two more things from you: a willingness to share data and cooperate with other project members—your more distant cousins—and as accurate a family tree as you can provide. For the family tree, follow the guidelines you received from Leigh Taylor to supply a tree that is easily read, is useful, and keeps information about living people private.
Then be patient. If your relative who has the missing clue isn’t already in the project, he may be soon!
Wishing all of us good luck and good family connections!
Lalia
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