At-Home DNA Tests Might Not Be as Accurate as You Think...

DNA tests are a popular resource for people wanting to understand their ancestry and disease probability. But how accurate are these tests?



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Seeker inspires us to see the world through the lens of science and evokes a sense of curiosity, optimism and adventure.







Special thanks to Julian Huguet for hosting and writing this episode of Seeker!

[EmmaHollen]

This video is *not* sponsored by 23AndMe

[Mariomario-gtoy]

So they're not "wrong" they're just not 100% absolute

[icybre]

It told me Im 0% portuguese yet I grew up speaking portuguese and living with my portuguese parents.

[braianr.]

It would be cool if they mention that your DNA then goes to their database, and they can use it anyway they want :v

[laterallightning]

They're not WRONG... It's more like they're MISLEADING.

[HarunFarah]

Not very accurate I'm East African and it claims I'm 37% North Korean....

[hubblelord]

Some of the DNA testing company's terms and conditions allow them to sell the information to other companies. That, and the fact that insurance companies can request the info as well, I'm never doing one of these tests(by choice).

[megacharizardz]

It said my grandmother was 0% French.... Shes French

[JonathanS]

Interesting, glad i didn't go ahead and get one of those tests, with as little as 115 people in the sample size and using only a fraction of your DNA there is so much i'm sure they are missing.

[josephagamble]

It's not right ..they should give everyone's money back because they just played everyone...

[nasser]

At-Home DNA Tests Might Not Be as Accurate as You Think... next on SICK SAD WORLD

[qbslug]

"this episode was brought to you by 23andme"

[keriezy]

I just did 23 and me's DNA test. It only took three weeks to get my results. DNA tests are only as helpful as the person interpreting the data.

[MBTHinSPACE]

"Special thanks to our sponsor 23-and-me " lol

[KBdotHAQ]

I've been talking forever about the inaccuracies of these kinds of DNA tests...

[isapriler]

I'm on 23andme, AncestryDNA and MyheritageDNA but it's not because I wanted to know my ethnicity or health. I found my biological father through them.

[agggg]

I guess every time a laboratory does a new DNA test the company gets new DNA samples that can be used to grow their database. Which means every year that passes these DNA tests become more accurate. Am I wrong? The database would be 115 people plus all the new samples they add with new customers. More years=more data= more accuracy

[gregorypetty]

I took a DNA test from DNA Consultants back in 2007 (way before 23andMe, Ancestry.com and My Heritage came into the DNA game), and it says that I am mostly Filipino descent from my mom (which is true), but that I also have matches of Japanese, Chinese, and Cambodian ancestry from her. When I took DNA tests from 23andMe, Ancestry, and My Heritage they just say that I'm mostly Filipino descent from my Asian side. Even though my mom is primarily Filipino descent, she is one of those Filipinos who looks of East Asian descent. Her eyes, her face, etc. She even told me she had a great grandfather who came from China in the 1800's. So when DNA Consultants says I have Japanese, Chinese, Cambodian, AND FILIPINO ANCESTRY FROM MY MOM, I believe them over 23andME and Ancestry.com Plus DNA Consultants admitted that they don't know how much and how long ago I have those ethnicities, for they don't give out percentages on DNA ethnicity. Where as 23andMe and Ancestry does, but I have heard assigning percentages to DNA ethnicities from these DNA tests can be very very inaccurate. That is why I don't trust DNA companies like 23andME, Ancestry.com, and MyHeritage.com

[DustyTheDog]

Psh with a little effort I was able to track my dad's side of the family back to the 1500's. Started with my recently deceased great grandfather's death and birth certificates. Used the birth to find his parents, then theirs and so on and so on. Some collaborating with my family that still lives in Germany lead me to a relative named Balthazar and his wife. At my local library I found a series of boat logs called "Germans To America" and within one of the volumes was a ship called the Emerald which arrived carrying Balt, his wife Katherine and their kids on July 22, 1840. I traced Balt's records in Germany. No one important in my family. We were just a bunch of blacksmiths.

[XSpImmaLion]

A horoscope with more accurate results is nothing more than a wild guess...