Edith <Mooreedith@aol.com> wrote: > I would like to hear some educated input into why are the males only > being tested? > > is there some scientific reason for this? The testing involves DNA that is passed on only from father to son. There is a similar test for mother to daughter - but the reason the tests are being done for males is that the surname identifies the group. Identifying the descendants of a female would be extremely difficult as each woman would likely have a different surname. > Also - can someone explain where they get the DNA to check against? > I'm picturing they have dug up someone's remains that they compare > with. What is being tested is the DNA of contemporaries and what is determined is whether those tested descend from a common male ancestor. Does my bunch of Jones have the same ancestor(s) as your bunch? > Isn't also this process very expensive? I think it's more expensive than it is worth - but I suppose it depends on what answers you are seeking and the likelihood of finding them. I note that those who get paid to do the tests are among the most prominent boosters of this methodology! <g> > I am not well informed in these matters and would appreciate > learning from others on the list about this method of finding one's > ancestors. There is an excellent mailing list that covers this topic. Also it is discussed at a great many web sites. "Richard A. Pence" <richardpence@pipeline.com>