What is genetic testing?
According to the United States national Library of Medicine, can be defined as "a type of medical test that identifies changes in chromosomes, genes, or proteins." The findings of a certain genetic test "can confirm or rule out a suspected genetic condition or help determine a person’s chance of developing or passing on a genetic disorder. More than 1,000 genetic tests are currently in use, and more are being developed."
When?
The practice starting to gain impetus in the 1950's when tests were elaborated to determine genetic conditions such as down syndrome or muscular dystrophy. As of 2017, there are approximately ten thousand unique type tests on the market.
The total number of people who have taken direct to consumer genealogy tests has increased by two folds in 2017 alone.
Why?
As the world and its inhabitants become more interconnected, globalized and dependent on shockingly rapid technical innovations, there is a growing anxiety and an increasing need to feel grounded by knowing one's self down to a genetic level in a globalized world. As multiculturalism proliferates, and traditional family ties are somewhat decentered, ancestry genetic testing seems like a painless, quick-fix to the existential questions regarding of identity and the sense of worth that comes with knowing you own origin story.
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