Genographics

Post by **PeteC** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 6:12 am

Curious if anyone here has participated in this. The kit costs $99.00. Sounds very interesting to me. I'd love to know the answers about myself and family. Pete

https://genographic.nationalgeographic. ... urney.html

Post by **migrant** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 9:46 am

I never tried it, but see advertisements on TV here for similar items.

Knowing my family, I'm a little concerned!!

There was a news article here the other day about an orphan searching for his Father, and came across information that it probably was Charlie Manson, the mass murderer

Post by **PeteC** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 7:13 am

A very interesting associated article. If I should ever do a test on my three Thai/American children, I may find they have maternal roots from India or the middle east if what this article is saying is correct. I believe it's a given through previous research that the first wave came from those areas, down the Malay peninsula and proceeding further to Indonesia, the Philippines and possibly Australia. What this article is saying is that this same wave then moved north and populated China and elsewhere up there at a later date. Pete

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8406506.stm

Post by **margaretcarnes** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 8:01 am

It does have some appeal, but what in the name of Buddha is a 'haplogroup'? I hate it when words are used like that which sound made up just to sound kosher IYSWIM.
At best it's going to give a rough idea of your origins centuries ago. I don't see how it can track migration with any degree of accuracy or time scale. Is this thing run by the Mormons I wonder?
I had a browse on a UK site last month - ancestry.co.uk - and found that the subscription rates increased in relation to how far back you needed to go. And that even the top rate subscription still didn't go any further back than we had traced already, with no guarantee of course that any further info would be forthcoming.
I just wonder if the Genographics site works in a similar way. It maybe seems like a good idea to contribute to a growing genetic data bank, for the purpose of future social history, but I'm too sceptical and would want to know exactly who is behind it, and what they really do with all those samples.

Post by **PeteC** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 9:44 am

It was all started some years ago Mags by National Geographic who is behind all of it. They sent a scientist to the far corners for a couple of years collecting DNA and then linking it to see who came from where and theoretically when.

There were quite a few NG specials on about it. Now it's advanced to the step explained on their site above. Pete

Post by **hhfarang** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 10:57 am

and what they really do with all those samples.

I was curious about that too Mags. All your questions are answered in the extensive question and answer page (FAQ) in the site that Pete posted. The whole thing seems pretty legit and I might consider it if I had an extra hundred dollar bill lying about...

If I should ever do a test on my three Thai/American children, I may find they have maternal roots from India or the middle east if what this article is saying is correct.

Yeah Pete, if I did have that extra money to spend I think it may be more interesting to do it on my wife who is from Thai/Lao lineage than myself. My family migrated to the U.S. from England (father's side) and Scotland (mother's side) according to what my elders could remember when I was young, and the two family last names pretty much bear that out.

I've tried some of the free ancestry sites and didn't get far as the surnames (both mother and father) are pretty common. I even did some research in government (Ellis Island) immigration records to try to determine exactly when my forefathers (and foremothers

) came to America, but had no luck. I think the best way to do that is to pay the Mormons to look into their records as they seem to be the most thorough records keepers in the world when it comes to family ancestry and origins.

Post by **Nereus** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 11:47 am

I must be missing something with this?
My understanding is that it traces your genetic code using the DNA, to identify a common ancestor group. It has nothing to do with what your ancestors family names are?

Post by **PeteC** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 12:12 pm

I think HHF was just taking it step further mentioning surname research. It is clear the NG program is not for that.

Anyway, not reading the page now but from memory. Females do not have the Y chromosome like men do, therefore a test on females will only reveal her maternal side lineage. Her Father, Brother etc., would have to take the test to reveal the other side of her roots. Pete

Post by **margaretcarnes** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 6:57 am

Thanks Pete and HHF - if it's the NG for some reason I have faith in them! Could maybe start a conspiracy theory though?