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The Genographic Project (Have Your DNA Checked, Find Your Roots)
National Geographic - IBM ^ | 6-15-2005

Posted on 06/15/2005 11:34:14 AM PDT by 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.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: archaeology; checked; dna; genealogy; genetics; genographic; ggg; godsgravesglyphs; history; project; roots; youdna
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To: martin_fierro

"Y chromosome traced to Haplogroup O (genetic marker M175)."

I'm an R1B, about as Celtic as they come I guess although there's some Ashkenasi (sp?) way back there.


61 posted on 06/15/2005 12:22:19 PM PDT by dljordan
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To: M. Dodge Thomas

I saw an extremely interesting documentary last week, probably on National Geographic, about a man who has been tracing mankind back to Africa. It seems he feels we are all African and these Africans traveled to different parts of the world to become different ethnic groups. He used DNA. It was very convincing but I don't buy all of it. It was fun to watch,though.


62 posted on 06/15/2005 12:26:48 PM PDT by Marysecretary (Thank you, Lord, for FOUR MORE YEARS!!!)
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To: blam

I think that's the show I was watching last week. It was extremely interesting.


63 posted on 06/15/2005 12:28:06 PM PDT by Marysecretary (Thank you, Lord, for FOUR MORE YEARS!!!)
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Comment #64 Removed by Moderator

To: M. Dodge Thomas
You might be surprised. (I was, anyway, to discover that a blacker-than-her-shadow friend had a Irish grandfather).

A lot of people are going to be surprised.

A LOT of American blacks are going to be surprised to find the're 25%, 50% or even more than 50% "European."

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.

65 posted on 06/15/2005 12:32:26 PM PDT by Strategerist
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To: blam

If I had the money, I would swap my cat and dog just to see what happens. lol


66 posted on 06/15/2005 12:32:40 PM PDT by Bear_Slayer (DOC - 81 MM Mortars, Wpns Co. 2/3 KMCAS 86-89)
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To: blam
If I had the money, I would swap my cat and dog just to see what happens. lol

swap = swab (I hate when I do that)

67 posted on 06/15/2005 12:33:14 PM PDT by Bear_Slayer (DOC - 81 MM Mortars, Wpns Co. 2/3 KMCAS 86-89)
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To: LIConFem

My roots are grey, but Clairol is going to help me out.


68 posted on 06/15/2005 12:33:23 PM PDT by billygoatgruff
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To: blam

I'm a mongrel. I don't need any DNA test to tell me.


69 posted on 06/15/2005 12:45:32 PM PDT by lilylangtree
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To: Publius6961

Good catch on the contradictions, Publius6961. We can always count on Freepers and their impeccable logic.

(Are you related to Mr. Spock?)


70 posted on 06/15/2005 12:49:19 PM PDT by sergeantdave (Marxism has not only failed to promote human freedom, it has failed to produce food)
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To: blam
This project is very interesting, but I must comment on privacy:

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 other words, "trust us". If they really wanted to safeguard participants' privacy, they'd say "send us your sample marked with a 10-digit random number you make up yourself".
71 posted on 06/15/2005 1:03:52 PM PDT by xenophiles
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To: blam
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.

So if you live in such a country, just send us the survey card. And be sure to lick the stamp.
72 posted on 06/15/2005 1:06:49 PM PDT by xenophiles
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To: PistolPaknMama

Ping-a-ling!


73 posted on 06/15/2005 1:09:11 PM PDT by LibWhacker
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To: SMARTY; DGray; TattooedUSAFConservative; utahagen; dljordan; Constitution Day; Pharmboy; ...
Y chromosome traced to Haplogroup O (genetic marker M175).

Here's what the printout from the NG site says in describing the above:

Page 1

Page 2

MAP

74 posted on 06/15/2005 1:09:44 PM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: xJones
I mean, not that I'm prejudiced or anything.... I always thought that Charlie Manson and Ted Bundy were misunderstood.

< |:P~

75 posted on 06/15/2005 1:10:51 PM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: HitmanNY

>>I'd just sooner let things be and look towards the future, and not so much at the past.

Future is interesting too, just kinda tough to study. The past used to be my occupation.


76 posted on 06/15/2005 1:25:26 PM PDT by Betis70 (It's all fun and games till someone gets impaled with a Javelin)
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To: martin_fierro
Well, THAT was worth $100! ;-)

Actually, I'm still waiting for my results and expect I won't be able to make heads or tails out of them.

77 posted on 06/15/2005 1:28:33 PM PDT by LibWhacker
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To: martin_fierro
Re: < |:P~

I never thought I should ask before, but since you posted that....whatever.... in large font, I would like to ask a question.

If I turn my head sideways to the left to look at it (which doesn't feel good), it looks like there's a pointy hat, two black eyes, and maybe a mouth with a tongue hanging out on the left-hand side. But what's that little wiggly thing beneath the mouth?

Thanking you in advance for your courteous reply....

78 posted on 06/15/2005 1:31:56 PM PDT by xJones
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To: LibWhacker
Well, THAT was worth $100!

Once you get your results, and if you agree to it, you can also have your results shared with FamilyTreeDNA -- your markers are compared against those of other particilants, and you can be put in touch with others who share genetic markers with you.

79 posted on 06/15/2005 1:33:42 PM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: reagandemocrat
"...is anyone here even the slightest concerned that this could be used for nefarious purposes?

Like what?

80 posted on 06/15/2005 1:33:59 PM PDT by Ditto ( No trees were killed in sending this message, but billions of electrons were inconvenienced.)
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