Don’t poison that tree
About those small segments… For years, The Genetic Genealogist Blaine T. Bettinger has been warning about the dangers of relying on small shared DNA segments — those chunks of seemingly shared DNA that come in at 5-6-7cM or thereabouts — to draw...Reconsidering that match
What’s our tree completeness? It happens all the time. We identify a batch of autosomal DNA matches all in the roughly 15-20 centimorgan (cM) range … and they all have the same couple in their tree. Oh boy!! Our most recent common ancestors (MRCA)!!!...The lure of the sale
Maybe … just maybe … With all the summer DNA sales there have been out there, and the fall and winter sales to come, maybe … just maybe … it’s time to think twice. I know. I know. For The Legal Genealogist not to be begging cousins to...About those traits…
Me and the Neanderthals So The Legal Genealogist just got around to taking a closer look at some of the “you have genes like (or unlike) the Neanderthals” reports over at 23andMe. Um… right. Just as I wouldn’t take the geoethnic estimates to the bank, I...Tracking back…
A cool genetic visualization tool Rob Spencer is a scientist who’s developed a set of tools for use with DNA results — visualizing some of our genetic genealogy. He calls his website, Tracking Back, a place “for genetic genealogy tools, experimentation,...Lost and found at FTDNA
Looking at the cousin match changes Three weeks ago, Family Tree DNA began rolling out a number of changes, many of which greatly impacted its cousin-matching algorithm for its autosomal Family Finder test. It took a bit longer than the company expected, as glitches...Dotting the Ms
Chasing George … again… Every so often, The Legal Genealogist’s attention gets focused on George. You remember George. My nemesis scoundrel second great grandfather whose genetic makeup apparently never included anything vaguely resembling a gene for...Plain language from MyHeritage
Privacy update: data won’t be sold It wasn’t a big change in the language of the privacy policy at MyHeritage that just took effect last week. But it’s an important change. In plain, unequivocal language, MyHeritage now states, in capital letters:...Time for FTDNA’s change
And time needed for it, too It’s time for a very big change at Family Tree DNA, which is rolling out major changes in its website, its matching algorithms and more. And it’s going to take time for the changes to all filter through. In other words, the...Subscribe by Email
