The Genographic Project (Have Your DNA Checked, Find Your Roots)

National Geographic - IBM ^ | 6-15-2005

[blam]

The Genographic Project

Public participation, including yours, is critical to the Genographic Project's success.

Here's how you can get involved:

Purchasing a Public Participation Kit will fund important research around the world—and open the door to the ancient past of your own genetic background.

With a simple and painless cheek swab you can sample your own DNA. You'll submit the sample through our secure, private, and completely anonymous system, then log on to the project Web site to track your personal results online.

This is not a genealogy test and you won't learn about your great grandparents. You will learn, however, of your deep ancestry, the ancient genetic journeys and physical travels of your distant relatives.

To insure total anonymity you will be identified at all times only by your kit number, not by your name. There is no record, no database that links test results with the names of their contributors. If you lose the kit number there will be no way to access your genetic results.

As your own genetic ancestry is revealed you'll also see worldwide samples map humankind's shared genetic background around the world and through the ages.

If you'd like to contribute your own results to the project's global database you'll be asked to answer a dozen "phenotyping" questions that will help place your DNA in cultural context.

This process is optional and completely anonymous, but it's also important. Each of us has a part in the ancient story of humankind's genetic journey. Together we can tell the whole story before it's too late.

Order a Kit The Participation Kit costs U.S. $99.95 (plus shipping and handling and tax if applicable). The kit includes:

1. DVD with a Genographic Project overview hosted by Dr. Spencer Wells, visual instructions on how to collect a DNA sample using a cheek scraper, and a bonus feature program: the National Geographic Channel/PBS production The Journey of Man. 2. Exclusive National Geographic map illustrating human migratory history and created especially for the launch of the Genographic Project. 3. Buccal swab kit, instructions, and a self-addressed envelope in which to return your cheek swab sample. (You can download a pdf of instructions or the consent form. You will need Acrobat Reader.) 4. Detailed brochure about the Genographic Project, featuring stunning National Geographic photography 5. Confidential Genographic Project ID # (GPID) to anonymously access your results at this Web site

The purchase price also includes the cost of the testing and analysis—an expensive process—that will take place once your sample is sent in.

Return Your Kit Once you have completed the cheek scraping process, you will secure the scrapers inside the transport tubes, sign the informed consent form and mail the tubes and form off to the lab.

That's it! In about 4 to 6 weeks—the time necessary for the laboratory to correctly analyze your DNA—your results will be ready. In the meantime, visit the Web site to see where your sample is in the analysis process.

Get Your Results Samples will be analyzed for genetic "markers" found in mitochondrial DNA and on the Y chromosome. We will be performing two tests for the public participants:

Males: Y-DNA test. This test allows you to identify your deep ancestral geographic origins on your direct paternal line.

Females: Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). This tests the mtDNA of females to identify the ancestral migratory origins of your direct maternal line.

To be clear—these tests are not conventional genealogy. Your results will not provide names for your personal family tree or tell you where your great grandparents lived. Rather, they will indicate the maternal or paternal genetic markers your deep ancestors passed on to you and the story that goes with those markers.

Once your results are posted, you will be able to learn something about that story and the journey of your ancestors. The genetic profile you receive is more than a static set of data. It is like an ongoing subscription to your genetic history. Your profile might become more detailed as the Genographic Project amasses more data from around the world, so be sure to return to the Genographic Project Web site for project updates.

Public participation is critical to the Project's success. By purchasing a Genographic Project Public Participation Kit, you will not only contribute to the impact of this great endeavor, but you may discover something about your own genetic past as well.

A Note on Privacy To ensure the privacy of participants, we have built an anonymous analysis process. Your Participation Kit will be mailed with a randomly-generated, non-sequential Genographic Participant ID number (GPID). Although we will have mailed a Participation Kit to your address, we do not know the random code included in the Kit. When you send in your DNA sample with your consent form, they will only be identified by your GPID. Therefore, your cheek cells will be analyzed completely anonymously.

In order to access your test results, you will need to access the Genographic Project Web site and enter your GPID, so it is very important that you do not lose your GPID. See the Genographic Project Terms and Conditions for more information. Also, be sure to visit our FAQs.

For International Participants (outside the United States and Canada) Public participation may be restricted in some countries where the export of genetic material requires government approval. China is one country that has such restrictions in place. The Genographic Project will work with the relevant authorities to achieve the broadest level of public participation possible.

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

And a good number of American whites, particularly in the south, are going to find there's a Black African or two in their ancestral mix in the last 200 years or so.

I have a photograph of my great great grandmother. She's very dark -- turns out she's not AA but NA -- Native American. And I've got green eyes and light brown hair. And I burn in the sun -- so that Indian blood hasn't done me much good in the sun tan department. LOL

On the other hand, 1/16 of something doesn't have much effect.

[muir_redwoods]

"My roots are black. Don't need DNA testing to tell me that. A quick glance in the nearest mirror will suffice ;o)"

And I'm so white if I get back-lit, I can't see my reflection in the mirror, it shines right through. I told my kids that three more generations of Irish marriages and folks will be able to read through my descendents ;-)

[martin_fierro]

There are pricier Genealogical DNA services out there that will search along BOTH your parents' DNA -- the National Geographic one only looks at 12 markers and searches back along your father's Y-chromosome (if you're a guy) or back along your mother's mitochondrial DNA (if you're a gal).

[SunkenCiv]

A nearly 2006 bump, related link:

Find Your Paternal-Line Relatives With Y-Chromosome Matches On Line
Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation | Dec 30, 2005 | Me
Posted on 12/30/2005 4:07:34 AM PST by Pharmboy
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1549163/posts

[SunkenCiv]

"The urine sample was Henry Kissinger's; the handwriting was Pat's."

...or...

"The urine sample was George Stefanopoulos'; the handwriting was Hillary's."

[MamaB]

I would rather trust the group out of Oxford, England who does about the same thing. I got some info in the mail about it.

[MamaB]

Have you heard of the group from Oxford, England? It does similar testing.

[MamaB]

There is another group who is doing the same type of testing. http://www.oxfordancestors.com/background.htmlearch.

[truth_seeker]

"Pretty much all Northern Europe was Teutonic except for the Celts and the Basques."

What would be the classification for people in Italy and Spain, prior to the Celts moving into the neighborhoods?

Similarly, there were people in Britain before the Celts and later germanic people sailed across (Picts, pre-picts).

Finally, Polish, Slovak people are Slavic, are they not? Baltics, too.

What I'm trying to demonstrate is there were/remain others besides just Germanic and Celtic.

[blam]

"For example, one fascinating study of DNA recently showed that modern day Jews are closely related to Kurds, who live in Northern Iraq. Maybe from when they were in captivity in Babylon?"

I think the Assyrians moved the Northern Tribes to Nivineah(sp) which is right next door to Mosul.

[southland]

btt

[blam]

Ping.

[LibertyRocks]

Thanks again, blam. This is the exact thread I was remembering. I didn’t realize it was started so long ago! I’m glad it’s still possible to participate... Now, to get the hubby to agree to spending the dough! LOL ;)

[blam]

"Thanks again, blam. This is the exact thread I was remembering. I didn’t realize it was started so long ago! I’m glad it’s still possible to participate... Now, to get the hubby to agree to spending the dough! LOL ;)"

I've done my whole family and many of my neighbors too. It is $107.50 for your mtDNA(female) and $107.50 for your yDNA(male). If you have brothers and sisters you can share the cost with them, they'll all have the same dna.

[blam]

See post #194.

[R1b]

I had the male side of my family tested. Came out R1b. Have now ordered the female side tested on the same sample.

[blam]

Welcome to Free Republic. We talk about this subject often.

[R1b]

Thank You. I have lurked for some time on this topic and thought I would jump in to be able to ask a question from time to time. It was your posting and example that finally pushed me to use the NGS program as a starting point.

[blam]

Hmmmm. Those guys ougt to give me a commission, huh? (LOL)

[R1b]

I find it interesting that some sources claim haplogroup I is dominant among Nordic populations. From reliable family sources my roots are about as ‘deep Viking’ as they come, yet check in with R1b.

Am wondering if this has anything to do with the 2 similar but not identical groups of Norse, one blond and blue eyed, and the other dark haired but either blue or dark eyed, that make up the Norse of today? (I am the dark haired blue eyed latter, but have children that match the former.)