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Consumer DNA tests revealing misattributed parentage

theatlantic.com

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Re: Consumer DNA tests revealing misattributed parentage

#3
There was an interesting thread on reddit where people were sharing their experiences with DNA tests and their parentage/ancestry. I was surprised with sheer number of them being listed/shared there. I never considered DNA tests will have such a weird side effects. It's a fascinating to see how much science or scientific tests in future can lead to weird results (not that I'm condoning cheating or anything) -

Thread for the interested - https://np.reddit.com/r/Showerthoughts/comments/7mu9zn/there...

EDIT: And every now and then you see these threads - https://np.reddit.com/r/23andme/comments/8iq8hu/my_parents_a...

More meta questions - will DNA testing result in fidelity of relationships or some sort of regulation where you are not allowed to tell these uncomfortable truths?

Regardless, I'm fascinated by DNA and how much it can reveal about ourselves. Not to mention emerging trends like CRISPR.

Re: Consumer DNA tests revealing misattributed parentage

#5
post #3

There was an interesting thread on reddit where people were sharing their experiences with DNA tests and their parentage/ancestry. I was surprised with sheer number of them being listed/shared there. I never considered DNA tests will have such a weird side effects. It's a fascinating to see how much science or scientific tests in future can lead to weird results (not that I'm condoning cheating or anything) - Thread…

Maybe part of the issue is an over-emphasis on "fidelity". People have always played around - or to be frank, many women have been assaulted and had to keep it quiet - maybe the best outcome would be more open communication and understanding between couples rather than even more prescriptive social norms about how relationships should work.

Re: Consumer DNA tests revealing misattributed parentage

#7

Some countries, like for example France, make DNA tests pretty much illegal to prevent discovering painful truths like this.

The French government claims that fatherhood is determined by society, and not biology. That is a very unscientific law.

Re: Consumer DNA tests revealing misattributed parentage

#8
post #7

Some countries, like for example France, make DNA tests pretty much illegal to prevent discovering painful truths like this.

The French government claims that fatherhood is determined by society, and not biology. That is a very unscientific law.

How is it unscientific?

Re: Consumer DNA tests revealing misattributed parentage

#9
post #3

There was an interesting thread on reddit where people were sharing their experiences with DNA tests and their parentage/ancestry. I was surprised with sheer number of them being listed/shared there. I never considered DNA tests will have such a weird side effects. It's a fascinating to see how much science or scientific tests in future can lead to weird results (not that I'm condoning cheating or anything) - Thread…

Also in /r/23andme, lots of people finding out they have no Cherokee/Native American heritage after all.

Re: Consumer DNA tests revealing misattributed parentage

#10
post #7

Some countries, like for example France, make DNA tests pretty much illegal to prevent discovering painful truths like this.

The French government claims that fatherhood is determined by society, and not biology. That is a very unscientific law.

It doesn't have to be scientific.
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