Learning My Genetic Roots
For a long time, I heard contrasting stories about my relatives and where they came from. I wondered about my close resemblance to my great-grandmother. After using the Geno 2.0 – Genographic Project Participation and DNA Ancestry Kit , I was able to discover facts about my own deep ancestry of my mother and my father’s families. Finally, long held suspicions, such as our Native American heritage, were confirmed. No longer do I have to think back to a cloudy haze of uncertainty when thinking about my roots. I now know for sure the migratory paths of my ancestors they share with others, like the Romanian, Mediterranean, and European groups.
Not only is the DNA test kit a great, unique product and gift, but an amazing, real-time scientific project. Sophisticated technologies are used to analyze DNA patterns. They use genetic markers identified from traditional, indigenous people. The whole thing is completely anonymous and non profit. Part of the cost from the kit goes to more important research and projects.
After getting the kit and using the cheek swab, you send in the sample to National Geographic. A few weeks later, when you get your results, you are provided with an interactive map that shows the likely migratory path of your ancestors. There are interactive features where you can read stories from other people with DNA similar to yours.
The testing goes back to the several hundreds of thousands of years ago- to the African, the Denisovan, and Neanderthal- you can find out if you are one or the other or some combination.
Testing the Family Dog
To top it all off, we found out the genealogy of the family dog using the Wisdom Panel 2.0 kit. We got our puppy from lab rescue because we wanted a lab. He was the cutest little dog – friendly , jet black, and gregarious. Soon, we started to wonder about the kind of lab mix he was, so we bought the test kit. A few weeks later, when I first saw his results, I thought it must be some kind of mistake! In his genetic line on his mother’s and father’s side and back to his grandparents and grandparents, there was not a single lab. In fact, he was a mix of chihuahua, standard poodle, golden retriever, and rottweiler. He is the same puppy to us though, and even better because of his unique history!
Last Words
Based on my experience with both kits, I believe this is an amazing direction for technology. With research such as this, we are a more knowledgeable planet. Research identifying genetic markers can continue to grow, we will learn more about our deep ancestry, and further analysis will reveal more amazing mysteries.
