Any opinions on the feedback you get if you do the $100 cheek swab ancestry test from Nat. Geographic?

Question

I looked at the sample on line but from what I can tell - for $99.95 dollars you are basically getting a report that all white people came from the Mesopotamia region 10.000 years ago. I wanted to give my elderly mother one of these for a birthday present but if that's all you get for the money, I don't know if I will.. Has anyone done this or do they know of another company that gets more specific? I have heard of other people doing this and getting more specific results. Perhaps I should "sk yahoo" but in another department/category. This was best one I could see. Thanks.

Answer 1

Hey Hanging Around,

The National Geographic project is a great thing to participate in. However, my participation was after my surname project, which proved that my surname was not Irish, but Scottish without question. Then, that project could be submitted to the Y-DNA project and the National Geographic project. To join the National Geographic cost me $15 extra, and I have not gotten any matches yet. These things take years, but when out of the blue, some contacts you and says 'hey we match', you will then understand how a distant cousin proves your migration pattern.

Family Tree provides Surname Projects for both Maternal and Paternal lines. If you are doing one for your Mother, and you want it to show her maiden surname, then, your Uncle, her brother would have to take the test. If you are looking for the mitochondrial DNA, then she can participate.

The Sorenson Foundation does a 12 marker test for free, but if you want to upgrade, it will cost at that point.

I think the Surname project is the way to go.

Answer 2

From what I understood there are definately more specific swabs.

However, all they really tell you is your similiarity to a group of people in a certain region.

Honestly I think this is scary, possibly another form of scientific racism on the rise.