The search for our identities—where we came from, what we’re made of—is a unifying human experience, and our collective fascination with ourselves as individuals has fueled a booming industry around personal DNA testing. More than 12 million people have had their DNA tested by services like 23andMe and AncestryDNA, and that number is expected to grow substantially in the next few years. But can DNA tests really reveal the nuanced information about ancestry and health that many of us seek? Here are 13 things to know about these personal testing kits.
1. PERSONAL DNA TESTING IS SIMPLE—ALL IT TAKES IS A LITTLE SPIT.
Typically, all you have to do is collect some of your saliva or swab the inside of your cheek, then seal the sample in a container and mail it to the lab in a pre-labeled envelope or box. Six to eight weeks later, you can see the results online.
MentalFloss, excerpt posted on SouthFloridaReporter.com, June 5, 2018
