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Automatic genetic testing in a commercial lab is not the same thing as controlled analysis by anthropologists and geneticists.
by Tagbert 3y ago
Automatic genetic testing in a commercial lab is not the same thing as controlled analysis by anthropologists and geneticists.
- verisimi 3y agoAre you arguing that adding an anthropological interpretation over the top of the automatic testing adds value? Or that it is a fudge to make the automatic testing fit whatever criteria are required?
- jvanderbot 3y agoI think the argument was that mass produced testing is of lower quality than top scientific labs dedicating all their expertise on a specific sample or two.
- Tagbert 3y agoexactly
- shakow 3y agoThey are not the same process at all. Commercial ‶automated″ kits only genotype you, i.e. look at a couple thousands of well known SNPs to put you in the group you share more with. Resolution is low, extrapolation is virtually impossible, but it's cheap and fast, and Uncle Joe can claim his 15% Italian ancestry. Work like those done on these denisovan is a whole other can of worms, which is still a very vibrant field (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_DNA https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_DNA) – at least it was when I left it a couple years ago. The main difference being that it's trying to sequence as much of the genome as possible, using the better preserved DNA molecules, typically in the teeth or some places in the skull. Then it's dozen of hours of menial work by specialized worker using protocols light-years ahead of what is done for the commercial kits. To make a good ol' HN car comparison, it would be like saying that because some chain carshop once screwed your head gasket change, there is no way anyone could ever restore a Cobra.