1930s
Doris and the Schuesslers of Los Angeles
Doris and the Schuesslers of Los Angeles In September 2018, I received an email from Pam, asking if I’d help identify her biological grandmother. Pam’s mother, Doris was born in […]
DNA
Adoption
Lies, Errors, or Chimerism? Unexpected DNA Test Results
Today’s DNA tests offer nearly 100% accurate results for identifying birth parents. Although these tests are almost always correct, There are some legitimate (but rare) scientific reasons they may return […]
23andMe
Why Most Europeans Don’t Use 23andMe or AncestryDNA
Unless you’re 100% Native American, you probably have some distant cousins living across the ocean. Maybe some of them have taken a DNA test, but you won’t find out unless […]
1950s
The Bellanich Family: Research to Reunion
News stories about adoptees finding their birth families through DNA have become pretty common. Reunion tales often show heartwarming photos or interviews of the families after they’ve found each other. […]
Adoption
Why Don’t I Look Like My Parents?
It was 1979 in rural Mississippi and Navin Johnson was celebrating his 18th birthday. His mom prepared his favorite meal: tuna salad on white bread, a Tab cola, and some […]
23andMe
Spitting for Science: The Truth about DNA Testing and Privacy
In late October 1997, the film Gattaca was released and quietly flopped at the box office. The dystopian-future sci-fi film tells the story of Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke), a product […]
DNA
Raw Data Downloads, Uploads, and Joining a DNA Project
When you buy a DNA test kit from one of the major testing companies, you are also purchasing a copy of your own autosomal genetic code. The companies may not […]
Autosomal Data
Using Hot and Cold Segments to Identify Distant Cousin Matches
by Jane Horvath and Frank Paukowits Originally Published in THE BURGENLAND BUNCH NEWS – No. 286 April 30, 2018, © 2018 by The Burgenland Bunch The Chromosome Browser is one […]
Ancestry
Using DNA to Identify Ancestors and Locate Family
Whether you’ve spent a decade building a family tree or just started researching your roots, DNA testing is a useful tool for professional and amateur genealogists alike. The results can […]