Wednesday 12 September 2018

Ancestry DNA rolls out enhanced ethnicity estimates

Ancestry DNA has announced that it has started the roll out of enhanced ethnicity estimates relating to Europe and Asia from today.

The new 'increased precision' estimates will be delivered through a new algorithm that analyzes longer segments of genetic information to break down the specifics of geographic ethnicity.

The announcement, in a blogpost by the company's Chief Scientific Officer Dr Catherine Bell, provides an example that the new new algo will more clearly define Scandinavia as Norway and Sweden (begging the question: What about Finland and Denmark?), will distinguish between France and Germany, rather than just Western Europe, and will break down Asia East into six regions: Japan; Korea and Northern China; China; Southeast Asia—Dai (Tai); Southeast Asia—Vietnam;  and Philippines.

If you've already taken an Ancestry DNA test, your enhanced results may now be available to view. Mine are.

Read the full blogpost and accompanying short video.