Sunday, May 4, 2014

Where Were You 1,000 Years Ago?

Summary
Artist's interpretation of human DNA
Recently, progress has been made in the field of tracing one's ancestry. Dr. Eran Elhaid of the University of Sheffield's Department of Animal and Plant Sciences and Dr. Tatiana Tatarinova from the University of Southern California have developed a tool called the Geographic Population Structure, or GPS. This device allows one to trace one's ancestor's residence up to 1,000 years ago. After several trial runs, the GPS yielded an accuracy rate of 98% worldwide and can even narrow down one's ancestor's home to the village or island of origin.

 Right now, the GPS tool has two major functions: To serve as an ancestry tracing system (a popular trend in America now) and a preliminary medical test that could screen for genetic diseases one might not know one has if their lineage is unclear. No matter how it is used, the GPS is a transformational addition to humankind's increasingly interconnected society.

 Reflection
A chromosome (structure that contains
genetic information)
This GPS device seems really neat to me! It amazes me that Dr. Elhaid and Dr. Tatarinova could have succeeded in producing a gene analysis tool that can fulfill its function with such accuracy! With the growing popularity of tracing one's origins (e.g. ancestry.com is doing quite well), the GPS will definitely find a practical place in our world.

 From what we've learned in class, why would knowing the makeup of one's genes be beneficial to an individual? Here is an interactive link to learn more about genes. This site leads to more information about genetic testing.

 NOS Themes

 Science is collaborative: Through the teamwork of Dr. Eran Elhaid and Dr. Tatiana Tatarinova, these scientists were able to create a device that could benefit every individual who wants to learn more about their genetic history.

 Role of motivation and curiosity: Since Dr. Elhaid and Dr. Tatarinova were motivated enough to pursue their research, they were able to develop a revolutionary piece of technology that can trace one's genetic ancestry.

 Article

 "Ground-breaking technique traces DNA direct to your ancestor's home 1,000 years ago"
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2 comments:

  1. UnknownMay 7, 2014 at 1:40 PM

    I think this article is very interesting because it shows a new way to learn more about yourself and your family. I found more information on it, and the GPS is projected to help figure out certain life-saving personalized medicine and advance forensic science. Also, tracing our ancestry is now a major social trend and genealogy is the number one hobby in America.

    Research Website: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/news/nr/dna-sat-nav-gps-tool-find-your-ancestors-home-1.370846

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  2. AnonymousMay 7, 2014 at 8:50 PM

    The Geographic Population Structure tool seems very interesting. Being able to know where your ancestors originated from would be fascinating. The GPS also seems to be able to trace the origin of diseases as well. I found a paper about how scientists used the GPS to locate the origin of Lyme borreliosis, a bone disease, and the insects that carry the disease to their European origins. The paper is quite lengthy, but the methods they use seem to be very logical and give accurate results.

    Article: Lyme borreliosis

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