News tagged with dna testing

Ancient penguin DNA raises doubts about accuracy of genetic dating techniques

Penguins that died 44,000 years ago in Antarctica have provided extraordinary frozen DNA samples that challenge the accuracy of traditional genetic aging measurements, and suggest those approaches have been ...

Biology / Evolution

created Nov 10, 2009 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (23) | comments 16

Ancient forest emerges mummified from the Arctic

The northernmost mummified forest ever found in Canada is revealing how plants struggled to endure a long-ago global cooling.

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created Dec 15, 2010 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (22) | comments 78 | with audio podcast

'Fossil eel' squirms into the record books

A new species of eel found in the gloom of an undersea cave is a "living fossil" astonishingly similar to the first eels that swam some 200 million years ago, biologists reported on Wednesday.

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Aug 17, 2011 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (19) | comments 58

Researchers create the first artificial neural network out of DNA

Artificial intelligence has been the inspiration for countless books and movies, as well as the aspiration of countless scientists and engineers. Researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) ...

Biology / Biotechnology

created Jul 20, 2011 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (19) | comments 13 | with audio podcast

Study: Mom's blood test can reveal Down syndrome

Scientists in Europe report they were able to diagnose Down syndrome prenatally by giving a simple blood test to pregnant women, an approach that might one day help them avoid the more extensive procedure used now to detect ...

Medicine & Health / Medical research

created Mar 06, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (9) | comments 0

Restaurants plan DNA-certified premium seafood

(AP) -- Restaurants around the world will soon use new DNA technology to assure patrons they are being served the genuine fish fillet or caviar they ordered, rather than inferior substitutes, an expert in genetic identification ...

Biology / Other

created Nov 27, 2011 | popularity 4.1 / 5 (10) | comments 14

Ancient Greek ships traded more than just wine

(PhysOrg.com) -- While many historians have assumed that Greek sailors were using amphorae, or ancient storage containers, to transport and trade wine, new DNA testing is providing evidence that these containers ...

Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils

created Oct 17, 2011 | popularity 4 / 5 (10) | comments 1 | with audio podcast report

Israeli scientists find way to combat forged DNA

Israeli scientists have developed new technology to fight biological identity theft after realising that DNA evidence found at crime scenes can be easily falsified.

Biology / Biotechnology

created Aug 20, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (6) | comments 2

Gene variations can be barometer of behavior, choices

Researchers at Brown University and the University of Arizona have determined that variations of three different genes in the brain (called single-nucleotide polymorphisms) may help predict a person's tendency ...

Medicine & Health / Neuroscience

created Jul 20, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (5) | comments 0

Free after 35 years: DNA clears Florida inmate

(AP) -- For years, James Bain insisted he was home watching TV with his twin sister when a 9-year-old boy was kidnapped and raped.

Biology / Biotechnology

created Dec 18, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (5) | comments 1

Experts hope DNA can unlock Chinese warlord's secrets

Scientists said Tuesday they hope to collect DNA from hundreds of men surnamed Cao so they can prove a recently excavated tomb in central China belongs to the legendary warlord Cao Cao.

Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils

created Jan 26, 2010 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (5) | comments 0

SKorean experts claim to have cloned glowing dogs

(AP) -- South Korean scientists say they have engineered four beagles that glow red using cloning techniques that could help develop cures for human diseases. The four dogs, all named "Ruppy" - a combination ...

Biology / Biotechnology

created Apr 28, 2009 | popularity 4 / 5 (5) | comments 1

New DNA research suggests second migration influx of early farmers to Europe

(PhysOrg.com) -- In a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) a French team led by molecular anthropologist Marie Lacan of Paul Sabatier University documents the results of their DNA ...

Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils

created Jun 02, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (4) | comments 0 | with audio podcast report

GAO investigators say DNA tests give bogus results

A government investigator told members of Congress on Thursday that personalized DNA tests claiming to predict certain inheritable diseases are misleading and offer little or no useful information.

Medicine & Health / Genetics

created Jul 25, 2010 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (4) | comments 5

King Tut died of blood disorder: German researchers

Legendary pharaoh Tutankhamun was probably killed by the genetic blood disorder sickle cell disease, German scientists said Wednesday, rejecting earlier research that suggested he died of malaria.

Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils

created Jun 23, 2010 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (4) | comments 5

DNA profiling

DNA profiling (also called DNA testing, DNA typing, or genetic fingerprinting) is a technique employed by forensic scientists to assist in the identification of individuals on the basis of their respective DNA profiles. DNA profiles are encrypted sets of numbers that reflect a person's DNA makeup, which can also be used as the person's identifier. DNA profiling should not be confused with full genome sequencing.

Although 99.9% of human DNA sequences are the same in every person, enough of the DNA is different to distinguish one individual from another. DNA profiling uses repetitive ("repeat") sequences that are highly variable, called variable number tandem repeats (VNTR). VNTRs loci are very similar between closely related humans, but so variable that unrelated individuals are extremely unlikely to have the same VNTRs.

The DNA profiling technique was first reported in 1985 by Sir Alec Jeffreys at the University of Leicester in England, and is now the basis of several national DNA databases.

For more information about DNA profiling, read the full article at Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.