Special report: Genetic testing goes mainstream
Consumers are jumping on the genetic testing bandwagon. Many don't know what's in store
DNA DELUGE Consumer genetic tests may not tell customers that much about themselves. Science News delves into these tests in a multipart series.
Daniel Hertzberg
In a months-long investigation of consumer genetic testing, molecular biology senior writer Tina Hesman Saey sent a cheek swab or spit sample to eight companies. Once her results were in, she talked to genetics researchers and people who received life-changing news based on their DNA.
In this multipart package, Saey explores what you can expect to learn from consumer genetic testing and she reviews her experiences with companies that offer health-focused and ancestry-based readouts. Tina’s takeaways? Answers aren’t simple, boring is not bad and she just might have a little bit of Italian in her.
Other Science News staff members round out this package, taking a close look at genetic privacy policies, the usefulness of prenatal genome testing and the risks of direct-to-consumer telomere testing, which is promoted as a way to learn how fast you’re aging. Finally, a video explainer on DNA recombination shows how heredity works. — Cori Vanchieri
What does genetic testing mean for you?
The 411 on consumer DNA testing
Getting a read on your genes sparks more questions than answers.
Is more data better?
Here’s what to expect if you send your spit out for testing.
A peek into the womb
Ethical and practical issues dog prenatal whole-genome tests.
She Has Her Mother’s Laugh
A review of Carl Zimmer’s exhaustive book on heredity.
Risks and riddles
Apps that use raw DNA data to predict disease risk can get it wrong.
Privacy and consumer genetic testing
Ask yourself some questions before signing on.
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Skip the telomere testing
Oncologist Mary Armanios says steer clear of this “aging indicator.”
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Finding family
Your ethnic background depends on the DNA test you take.
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Ancestry tests reviewed
Companies offer a mixed bag of results on family ties.
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Video: What is recombination?
Here’s why there’s a chance you don’t share any DNA with your third cousin.
