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Happy 202nd Birthday, Charles Darwin!

Posted on February 12, 2011

Chris Darwin swabbing

Chris Darwin tests his DNA with the Genographic Project.  Photo by Patrick Riviere.

Darwin's birthday also reminds us of meeting Darwin's great-great-grandson, Chris Darwin, at this time last year in Sydney, Australia. Chris swabbed with the Genographic Project to test his and therefore his paternal great-great Grandfather's (Charles Darwin) DNA. Find out the results.


200 Cornell University undergrad volunteers line up to test their DNA200 Cornell undergrad students line up to swab using a Genographic Public Participation Kit.  Photo by Colby Bishop.

The hallways outside Cornell's Call Auditorium were buzzing with activity and excitement as 200 undergrad volunteer students lined up to see if their collective DNA can represent all of humanity's ancient migration paths. 


Cornell students swabsA Cornell undergrad student swabs to trace her deep ancestry as part of the Cornell University Genetic Ancestry Project.  Photo by Marilyn Rivchin.

This event kicked off the first ever Cornell University Genetic Ancestry Project.   Professor and Director of the Cornell Center for Comparative and Population Genomics (3CPG), Chip Aquadro, along with Spencer Wells, a Frank H.T. Rhodes Class of '56 Professor at Cornell, worked together to develop this semester long and campus wide project.  The project's goal is to stimulate discussion about the promise, challenges, risks and limitations of genetic testing for ancestry, as well as the diverse social, legal, ethical implications that are raised by its use. 

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Genographic Kit

Welcome to the Genographic Project's blog, Genographica! Genographica will feature posts from all of the Genographic team, from our scientists based around the world, our teams at National Geographic and IBM plus guest posts as well. We hope you'll check back often and follow along with us as our work carries on!

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