Blog Archives

Certification completed 1/30/2024: "DNA and the DAR: Using DNA as a Piece of the Evidence for a DAR Application."

1/31/2024

Course required the application of core genetic genealogy principles to established NSDAR genealogy verification standards and practices within the framework of realistic applicant case studies.

To learn more, visit https://www.dar.org/

Jewelry crosses cultures: Ancient DNA reveals that matching jewelry is not always an indicator of shared ancestry.

1/30/2024

Key finding: The same jewelry may have been worn by ancient people of different cultures and, as DNA has revealed, matching jewelry is not always an indicator of shared ancestry.

Alex, B. (2024, January 29). "‘Landmark paper’ shows why ice age Europeans wore jewelry: Pendants and beads reveal nine cultures living across the continent 30,000 years ago." Science. News - Archaeology. https://www.science.org/content/article/landmark-paper-shows-why-ice-age-europeans-wore-jewelry

Origins of Ancient Picts revealed -- and an older hypothesis of a matrilineal society is called into question

1/21/2024

The "Daniel Stone," an ancient Pict sculpture (Public Domain)

Origins of Ancient Picts revealed -- and an older hypothesis of a matrilineal society is called into question.

Findings from a recently published report, Open Access, Peer-Reviewed, Research Article: Morez, A. et al. (2023, April 27). "Imputed genomes and haplotype-based analyses of the Picts of early medieval Scotland reveal fine-scale relatedness between Iron Age, early medieval and the modern people of the UK." Plos Genetics. https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article/peerReview?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1010360

Higher degree of genetic affinity, between the Pictish genomes and individuals from western Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Northumbria.
The same genetic structure detected in Iron Age Scotland was found in present-day Orcadians.
Seven mitochondrial DNA findings from the Lundin Links cemetery revealed no direct maternal ancestors which could suggest exchanges of people, or at least females, between groups during the Pictish period, and challenge older ideas that the Picts were a matrilineal society.

See also: Davis, M. (2023, April 28). "Ancient DNA Reveals Painted People of Scotland Had Local Roots Related to Iron Age People in Britain." The Science Times. https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/43482/20230428/ancient-dna-reveals-painted-people-scotland-local-roots-related-iron.htm

"The DNA of Privacy and the Privacy of DNA" - A Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Attorney Weighs In.

1/9/2024

Jillson, E. (2024, January 5). "The DNA of Privacy and the Privacy of DNA." Federal Trade Commission. FTC Business Blog. https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2024/01/dna-privacy-privacy-dna

Image is in the Public Domain

Quotation from the blog post: "Companies selling genetic testing products tout the benefits of DNA-based insights – learning more about health, lineage, family tree – so that consumers can seek medical attention, customize their diet or exercise regimen, find long-lost relatives, or understand more about their background. But for consumers to realize benefits from DNA-based products or services, consumers need to be able to trust their accuracy – and trust that the company’s practices related to the DNA of privacy (data minimization, purpose limitations, retention limits, etc.) will protect the privacy of their DNA."

Click here to read the rest of the article: https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2024/01/dna-privacy-privacy-dna

See also: Kagan, O. (2024, January 8.) "Your DNA and the FTC: What you Need to Know." Fox Rothschild. https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/your-dna-and-the-ftc-what-you-need-to-5653890/

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Certification completed 1/30/2024: "DNA and the DAR: Using DNA as a Piece of the Evidence for a DAR Application."

Jewelry crosses cultures: Ancient DNA reveals that matching jewelry is not always an indicator of shared ancestry.

Origins of Ancient Picts revealed -- and an older hypothesis of a matrilineal society is called into question

"The DNA of Privacy and the Privacy of DNA" - A Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Attorney Weighs In.

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