Just Who Do You Think You Are?

Even as commercial DNA tests that claim to establish your lineage to British royalty or the romans get popular,Scientist warn that it may be no more than genetic astrology. Mike Peake investigates whether tracing one's DNA to a famous person is an aunthentic or a futile exercise.

- Mike Peake

CONGRATULATIONS. We are delighted to inform you that you are related to someone very famous. A look in the mirror will tell you whether that’s more likely to be Genghis Khan, Duke Ellington or King Henry VIII, but you can hold your head high on the ride to work this morning as you feel the blood of the greats coursing through your veins.

The downside, of course, is that everyone else in your office is related to someone famous too. Worse (or better, should you be blessed with a philanthropic nature), those colleagues are also related to you.

The simple fact is that we are all brothers. And this, say some geneticists, is what makes the trend for tracing distant ancestors through your DNA somewhat meaningless, especially given the science’s current limitations.

But let’s give both sides a fair hearing before deciding whether spending upwards of $100 to spit into a test tube is money down the drain – because a lot depends on what you’re looking for. If you want to fill in a few holes on a well-researched family tree, DNA testing is certainly worth considering.

But if you’re after concrete proof that you’re descended from Vikings, you might just as well be booking a flight to Oslo to see how well your head fits into a souvenir helmet.

Genetic ancestry testing has been steadily growing in popularity for the past few years, spurred on by TV shows like Who Do You Think You Are? (now showing in more than 15 countries) and the increasing affordability of DNA testing kits. For the price of a half-decent meal, companies like Ancestry and 23andMe will analyse your saliva and tell you some interesting things about where you came from – although critics point out that “where you came from” is a term that is somewhat open to interpretation.