General Chat

The National Geographic Society and IBM are today launching a £21m project to trace our genetic lineage right back to African Eve. It will be conducted over the next five years and anyone wanting to participate can do so for £52 plus p&p to receive a DNA kit. We might have trouble finding our rellies from hundreds of years ago, but they will be able to trace us back thousands of years! For further details, look at today's Mail newspaper or: www.national-geographic.com/geneology Aileen

Snap. My surname means Forest Keeper in Norman-French.

Hi Just saw it mentioned on This Morning at the end of the Fern Brittan's amily tree search. Its : www.national-geographic.com/geneology

Well apparently my lot came from the Vikings! Unfortunately I don't have the stunning Swedish blonde type looks.....I'm more like Helga, Hagar the Horribles wife! LOL Christine

For some reason I'm being blocked from putting the word 'geneology' preceeded by (a dot and then com) on the end of the website adress: So its www.national-geographic, then a dot, then com, then / then geneology. Hope you understand this Aileen

Are the words geneology and dot com rude words then on here when you try to give a website address? Aileen

Hi TT Well it's just done it again to me. I'll try that, wait for it www.national-geographic (.) com (/) geneology If anyone can't access it, sent me a message and I'll do it that way. Aileen

I give up. The forward slash has been omitted now.

help cannot access site it keeps saying address not known, please advise marcie x

Christine, www.national(-)geographic(.)com/geneology

i,ve got it thanks marcie x

Thanks Aileen but it still won't work for me. Daisy :(

Just tried to access the site but like Christine only got the National Geographic site - can't find the genealogy link - any further advice? Jax

Well done for mentioning it, WD. Christine, You and I must be related - half my lot were Vikings. How about joining me on a 'fire & sword' kick? (We must, of course, wear the right shoes!) CB >|< X P S I think I'm past the 'rape & pillage' bit! LMHO

You cant get the website because you have spelt it wrong. It is GENEALOGY not geneology.

I spelt it correctly and still can't get it?!? The address I used was www(.)nationalgeographic(.)com(/)genealogy - I get the 'link not found message' then when I search the website I get links to things like Ancestry/Genealogy(.)com sites? Jax

Gramps That's the spelling in the newspaper. However when you go into the site and read the article there is another website listed www(.)nationalgeographic(.)com/genographic This gives the same information as the first website address I've emailed the author [email protected] to ask for the proper website address to get the details for ordering the DNA kit which is not given in the article. Aileen

The Genographic Project - a partnership between the National Geographic Society and IBM - will see DNA samples collected from more than 100,000 people across the globe. Geneticist Spencer Wells describes the initiative as a five-year effort to understand the human journey, where we came from and how we got to where we live today. Analysis of fossil records fixes human origins in Africa and the study aims to discover why humans now 'appear in such a wide array of different colours and features'. Researchers hope 'markers' in individuals' DNA make-up will allow them to trace our common evolutionary timeline back through the ages. Dr Wells said: 'The greatest history book ever written is the one hidden in our DNA. We see this as a resource for humanity going into the future. It could potentially become the largest genetic database ever created.' Our genes allow us to chart the ancient human migrations from Africa across the continents, the expert added. 'But to fully complete the picture we must greatly expand the pool of genetic samples available from around the world,' Mr Wells added. Those involved in the project stress it is vital to complete the DNA mapping before distinct peoples and languages vanish into a 21st century global melting pot. Ten research laboratories have been established around the world and scientists are visiting remote regions in an effort to complete the planet's genetic atlas. Britons can assist the project by buying a Public Participation Kit, allowing them to take a swab of their own DNA. Samples can then be submitted through a secure and completely anonymous system and the results can be tracked online. Information about how to take part in the Genographic Project can be accessed at www.nationalgeographic(.)com/genographic

From The Mail. Here’s the gist of the article. The £21m project will involve ten research centres around the world, including the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridge. It will be overseen by an international advisory board including an eminent archaeologist, paleontologist, geneticist and led by Dr Spencer Wells, an American anthropological geneticist. Experts have established that everyone is descended from one human female who lived in Africa 150,000 years ago. Last year scientist identified 36 ‘clans’ or descendants of this woman, ‘African Eve’. The first clan to colonise Europe 45,000 years ago was Ursula, followed by Xenia, Helena, Velda, Tara, Katrine and Jasmine. Anyone who wants to take part in the project can order a DNA kit from the website www.national-geographic(.)com/geneology for $99 (£52) plus post and packaging. The kit contains a swab which is scraped on the inside of the cheek and posted back. Each kit comes with a unique number, which allows users to find out their genetic heritage once the DNA has been analyzed. All proceeds will go towards future research by the NGS and participating indigenous groups. The researchers say the DNA info gathered will not be passed on to any other bodies. IBM say that they understand people may have concerns about privacy and security as they are collecting the most personal info. But their approach is to anonymise the data entirely. Every participant has a number and that is their gateway into the data, but they do not know anything about the individual.

Yes! Found it! It seems really interesting - seriously considering signing up! Jax (PS Thanks for this WD, are you going to sign up??)