I am sure that we have all heard of On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin.  Written almost 150 years ago, it is considered to be one the paramount pieces on evolution.  We have since developed theories of evolution based on this book.  We believed that evolution to be a long process that can take numerous generations and will be based on more than the parent’s environment and experiences.

What some people may not know is of the theories of his contemporaries.  One such theory was developed by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck.  This theory now called Lamarckism stated that evolution could be directly impacted by an organism’s parent’s experiences.  His theory specifically was in reference to giraffes and their long necks. 

While this example may not be the best of this theory, the theory itself is being reconsidered after numerous findings by biologists around the world.  After reading an article in Newsweek, I was intrigued by the idea that a parent’s environment and experiences may in fact directly impact a child’s traits that it inherits. 

As an example the article discusses a species of water flea that gains a spiny helmet if their mother had an experience with predators before conceiving.  If not her off spring would not have these spiny helmets.  The DNA of both types of water flea being the same.  This type of trait by Darwin’s theories would have taken numerous generations to develop.

DNA, genetics, and inheritance are all topics that intrigue me.  As a DNA Testing consultant I try to keep up with what is being discovered in the scientific community.  This new finding blows much of what I studied in high school and college out of the water.  I am excited to see what may come out of this research.  I am curious to see how humans are directly impacted by the experiences of their parents. 

However this research turns out there is one thing that will remain true.  The DNA that determines relationships is not directly impacted by these types of findings.  You cannot change the markers that indicate relationship simply by eating more greens or even doing hard drugs.  So, no need to be concerned with your results changing based on this type of information.  I am curious to hear what everyone has to say about this.  Please leave a comment or email me directly at: kstyer@identigene.com

Working for a company that does paternity testing, you can imagine that the Maury Povich “Who’s your daddy” topic often comes up.  We have all seen the episode where they bring out the woman and she is absolutely sure that its one of two men that are the father of her child.  When the results are revealed that neither are the father, the men begin to dance, the woman begins to cry and the crowd cheers as if they were at the circus.

At first, there is the tendency by most people to join the mob and participate in the amusement of the whole scene.  But when we take a second and step back and look at the situation as a whole, we realize that these are people lives that we are talking about and that the results of the test are so much more than a cheap way to entertain a crowd.

Over the years, I have witnessed a lot of stories about people using paternity testing, sibling testing and other forms of DNA testing to find out who they are and who they are or are not related to.  Entertaining a crowd is not usually on the list of reasons why someone wants to take a test.

Most often, the reasons for getting the test revolve around peace of mind and knowing the truth.  And the interesting thing about knowing the truth is that it helps people make decisions.  Once they have the facts, people are able to make the decision that affect the rest of their lives.  Whether that decision is to connect with the father you never knew, to meet the 6 siblings you didn’t know you had, to continue school now that you know the baby isn’t yours, or to continue paying child support even after finding out you are NOT the biological father because you care about the child( I have seen this happen), knowing the truth always seems to make those decisions easier.

Part of what keeps my job interesting is the odd, interesting, difficult, and just plain weird questions people have about DNA.  I thought I would take a second to share a few and their answers (if they can be answered).

Question: “If I send you my DNA and a copy of my birth certificate can you tell me if that is really where I was born?”

Answer: Unfortunately, your DNA does not contain any information about your birthplace.  Okay, this one has only come up once.  At the time I was extremely dumbfounded.  Honestly, I am still at a loss as to the logic on this one.

Question: “Can you tell if someone does drugs by testing their DNA?”

Answer: No, we cannot.  This is a more common question than you might expect.  Also, we cannot see alcoholism in your DNA either.

Question: “I was sick with the flu when I swabbed.  Will this change my results?”

Answer: No, your DNA is not affected by virus or bacteria.  It is also not impacted by cancer, HIV, or other diseases.

Question: “How old do you have to be to test your DNA?”

Answer: You can test an unborn child’s DNA by sampling the amniotic fluid of the mother.  Meaning, there is no age limit.  You can test a child right after he/she is born.  Your DNA is the same from the time of conception until you die.  And this question is not exactly weird, but it comes up often enough that I thought I would throw it in.

And the weirdest question I have ever heard?

Question: “Is it possible that my DNA is the Da Vinci Code?”

Yes, someone really asked me this, and yes I was able to contain my disbelief and reply.  My reply?  “I am not certain I understand how your DNA may be related to the Da Vinci Code.”

After this the customer abruptly hung up.

DNA is a subject that is not always easy to understand.  So, I wouldn’t hesitate to write or call and ask your questions.  At least you know there has always been someone who has asked something odder, right?

Over the years as I have worked as a Customer Support Rep for Identigene, I have met many people and talked to them about their different situations and stories. Each person’s circumstances involving paternity testing and finding who they are related to are different and each person has their own story to tell. For a long time I have wanted to help people to share their stories with others who may be going through a similar situation. And now with our new blog, www.mystoryrelated.com, people will have that chance.

www.mystoryrelated.com is a collection of stories of people finding the connections and relationships that make up the story of who they are. Whether its a story about finding ones biological father, finding the birth mother that gave you up for adoption, or connecting with ancestors that came before, mystoryrelated allows people to read and share the stories that are a big part of their life.

Please take a moment and visit www.mystoryrelated.com and look through some of the stories. Each one is unique and each week we will post a new story.

If you are interested in sharing your story, please do. I am sure there are other like you who would love to read your story. Click Here if you are interested in sharing your story with the readers of our blog.