PROVO, UTAH (Web Desk) – Ancestry.com can now build a family tree from using a person’s DNA to find relatives from centuries past.
The new test, launched as Ancestry DNA, will allow users of the website to submit their DNA for $99, which will then be compared to other users in hopes of finding more links and common ancestors.
“This is the biggest advancement in family history since we introduced our Hint feature, the Ancestry shaky leaf, which scours billions of historical records to automatically find new information about your family,” Tim Sullivan, CEO of Ancestry, said in a statement. “Now, through a simple DNA test, AncestryDNA is fundamentally revolutionizing the way to discover your family history, transforming the experience by making it faster and easier to go further into your family’s past, and instantly discover new ancestors you never knew you had.”
The more people who submit their DNA, the bigger the database and the more information can be collected about family heritage.
It is addressing privacy concerns as well – especially in regards to medical history discovered through the DNA test.
“The FDA will have a lot to say about how you can communicate health discoveries to users, and of course you’ll also just be able to opt out,” said Sullivan. “But there are positives, such as learning about things before they happen, much like what Angelina Jolie has been pushing.”
