Feb 28 2008
SNPwatch gives you the latest news about research linking various traits and conditions to individual genetic variations. These studies are exciting because they offer a glimpse into how genetics may affect our bodies and health; but in most cases, more work is needed before this research can provide information of value to individuals. For that [...]
Feb 27 2008
By 23andMe Director Esther Dyson
One of 23andMe’s goals is to help people understand how their own genetics influences who they are – what they look like, the diseases they’re prone to, maybe even how they behave.
The problem is, right now most of that is just unknown. Though the genetic data in your 23andMe account is [...]
Feb 22 2008
Genetics is big on twos. Chromosomes come in pairs. So do DNA strands – the two twisting halves of the molecule fit together perfectly, with every A matched to a T and every G to a C.
That’s why we consider the latest additions to the 23andMe website particularly cosmic. Each one perfectly complements an [...]
Feb 21 2008
If you take two members of the human race at random and ask how much their genomes differ, you’ll get a surprising answer: they’re almost identical.
On average, for every 1,000 DNA bases you have, 999 or so of them are exactly the same between you and your neighbor – and for that matter, between you [...]
Feb 21 2008
DNA Day — April 25th — is only 65 days away! To help celebrate the occasion, the American Society of Human Genetics, Applied Biosystems, and the Hudson Alpha Institute for Biotechnology are sponsoring an essay contest for middle school and high school students.
First place winners in each category will win $350, second place winners [...]
Feb 19 2008
It’s a question we’re getting used to: “Why are you called 23andMe?”
Many of you know the answer by now: our name refers to the 23 pairs of chromosomes usually found in humans.
But a question you may not know the answer to is “Why do humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes? Why not 13? Or [...]
Feb 14 2008
Modern lifestyles are often blamed for diseases such as obesity, high cholesterol, heart disease and diabetes. But from an evolutionary standpoint those ailments may have roots in a lifestyle change that occurred tens of thousands of years ago, when humans first left balmy Africa for more northerly climes.
Climate is already known to be partially responsible [...]
Feb 13 2008
Do you finally understand why you love milk and hate bourbon? Or vice versa?
Have you discovered that you have ancestors in a part of the world you never expected?
Have any of you downloaded your data? What did you do with it?
Inquiring minds want to know. Now that 23andMe has been in business for nearly three [...]
Feb 12 2008
We don’t necessarily condone this kind of behavior, but 23andMe customer Andrew Meyer has challenged the world to a spitting contest.
In this video on his blog, BUZZYEAH, Andrew produces the 2.5 milliliter (about a half-teaspoon) saliva sample required by 23andMe in 146 seconds. He claims this is a world record feat, and challenges salivators everywhere [...]
Feb 11 2008
There were fireworks on the beach at Marco Island, Fla., Thursday night, where 575 genome experts had gathered to discuss serious progress in genomics at the annual Advances in Genome Biology and Technology conference.
I last saw fireworks at a genomics conference in 2000. Back then, euphoria around the first human reference sequence reached a frenzy [...]
