Arcadia Discussion Zone

The father of all the current DNA studies is Brian Sykes. Here is a link to amazon page full of his interesting books and many others about DNA:
http://www.amazon.com/DNA-USA-Genetic-Portrait-America/dp/0871404125/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1337616604&sr=1-1
This is another great article:
http://www.ufodigest.com/news/0706/dnamemory.html
Deep DNA memory theories: Can we remember our ancestors’ lives?
by Steve Hammons


Research into the nature of DNA has revealed that this material within each cell of our bodies has important implications for who each one of us is, on many levels.
In addition to determining our physical characteristics, our vulnerabilities to certain diseases, and maybe even our personality, is it possible that the DNA helix holds some of the important memories of our ancestors?
Theories that suggest that we can tap into the deep nature of DNA to uncover ancient memories are not new. In the 1960s, some psychological researchers claimed that there may be keys that unlock our DNA, revealing experiences of generations of our relatives who lived long before our present time.
In the 1988 movie ALTERED STATES starring William Hurt, the main character, a research scientist (Hurt) dives deep into his consciousness and genetic roots. In the film, he not only relives ancient experiences of his ancestors, he actually changes on the biological level.
This film was reportedly based on the real-life research of prominent psychologists and medical researchers of the 1960s and ‘70s who used isolation tanks and pharmacological triggers to access deep DNA memories and experiences, which they claimed were real.
These ideas are similar in a way to the concepts of past lives and reincarnation. However, this DNA-related line of thinking focuses on the previous lives within us that are based on genetic memories, encoded on the DNA helix within us.

BLUEPRINT, MEMORY BANK, INNER SPACE

The DNA within all living things is the blueprint for what each organism becomes, subject to the environmental influences that can also have significant effects.
For humans, recent discoveries about DNA are rapidly changing our views about the importance of this material. DNA may affect us much more significantly than we imagined. And, it may hold keys to further discoveries.
It has long been known that our physical appearance is determined by the combination of DNA from our mother and father. Now, researchers are confirming that certain diseases and disorders have direct links to our DNA. Our health may be programmed to some degree by our genetic history.
Our IQ and aptitudes, musical skills, athletic ability, even our psychological and emotional traits may be significantly affected by the DNA within us.
It has been demonstrated that experiences necessary for survival of a species are learned and that this knowledge is passed on to subsequent generations. In some cases this is mostly likely at least partially through DNA and the unconscious “instinct” that results. Even tiny and simple organisms learn crucial survival skills and pass these on.
For humans, with our relatively complex brain, feelings and memories, what other kinds of experiences might be saved in our DNA over the many thousands of years when our ancestors were born, lived and died? And, can they be accessed by us here and now?

OUR ANCESTORS WITHIN US

Because learning about situations that are necessary for survival of a species are probably saved as a kind of unconscious genetic memory, those fundamental human experiences could be deep down in our DNA somewhere.
Let’s say you have always had a significant fear of bears since you were a child. Even Smokey the Bear and other friendly Hollywood bears could not convince you to regard bears with anything but anxiety and fearful feelings.
Maybe it is possible that deep, deep within your DNA memory banks, your great-great-great-great-grandmother or great-great-great-great-grandfather had a very bad experience with a bear two hundred years ago. Maybe they saw someone be killed by a bear. Maybe they had to climb a tree to save themselves from being eaten by a bear.
Would a life-changing experience like this, resulting in knowledge very useful for survival, possibly be encoded in the DNA and passed on to future generations and you?
If there were a way to go deep down into your mind and consciousness, and into your genetic history, maybe through some kind of altered state like a dream or through some kind of trigger, could you recall and experience that event?
Could you relive and re-experience in some way great-great-great-great grandma’s or grandpa’s harrowing and hair-raising close encounter with a hungry bear two hundred years ago?
What about some similar “peak experience” or life-changing event of an ancient relative five hundred years ago? What about five thousand years ago? After all, we know that at least some part of that history is inside all of us, right in the DNA in every cell of our body, right now.

WHAT WE KNOW AND DON’T KNOW

Scientific researchers are gradually uncovering the secrets of our DNA. They have identified the functions of and relationships between some of this material. Many genes remain a mystery and their purpose is unknown.
Sometimes, these mystery genes are called “junk DNA.” According to some researchers, this may be an inaccurate label. Because the purpose and nature of this DNA material is not understood, it certainly does not mean it is useless junk.
As is often the case in scientific discovery, the more we know, the more we realize how little we know. Each question answered can raise many new questions.
For some, our human overconfidence and even arrogance can sometimes trick us into believing that we know all of the answers.
However, in the field of genetics research, there seems to be so much that is not known, that for an open-minded person, these kinds of theories about deep DNA memories cannot be ruled-out.
To conduct our own personal research and to find out for ourselves, maybe all we need to do is listen to our inner DNA.
Listen to the voices, feelings, sights and experiences of our ancestors. Their lives, joys and fears are within us. In that way, they are with us always.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mummy_in_Vatican_Museums.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_DNA
What stood out about this article is the fact that Tutankhamen and his wife, Ankhensenamun (18th dynasty of Egypt) were discovered to be brother and sister through DNA testing...an ancient male and a female can be identified as same family.

Interesting post there Shasta, i wonder if this could be linked to Déjà vu, you know, when you visit somewhere and it just feels 'familiar'. Can we remember the landscapes of our forefathers? And are our preferences encoded within our DNA, a hangover from the long distant past. Great subject.

P.S. might account for my intense dislike of winter - ice age memories!

Of course they can, they share the same mtDNA from their mother. No great mystery there.

TCP

TCP...hadn't you always insisted that DNA from a male could not prove a relationship with a female?
I know little about DNA testing but I do recall you said that. Please enlighten me.

Y-DNA testing wouldn't show a connection, as the female lacks a Y-chromosome (inherited only by males from their fathers). But through maternal lines, yes, through mtDNA testing, which all children inherit from their mothers but only females pass to their progeny. So you could compare the mtDNA of a male and a female and determine that they are siblings or relatives on their maternal side.

TCP

Thank you for your reply...That is enlightening and I can imagine the many new ways that bloodlines can be established..

Interesting article about the "impossible" things we are learning about the properties of DNA.

DNA Found to Have "Impossible" Telepathic Properties

http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2008/02/dna-found-to-ha.html

When you find an article saying they've discovered that females have Y-chromosomes, do let me know.

TCP

Scientists Prove DNA Can Be Reprogrammed by Words and Frequencies

http://wakeup-world.com/2011/07/12/scientist-prove-dna-can-be-reprogrammed-by-words-frequencies/

Wow...some interesting new info here!

If words and frequencies could "reprogram" DNA (i.e. cause instantaneous mutations) it would pretty much render it useless for genealogical studies (not to mention genetics generally).

TCP

TCP....Good Point you made!

Speaking about genetics, there is a test you can have to see if you carry a breast cancer gene. My lovely sister in law died in her early forties from lung cancer that was secondary to ovarian cancer and completely un related to the breast cancer she had in her thirties. She had 5 sisters who ALL developed breast cancer after and during the time she was having treatment so it was suggested they have the genetic test to see if there was a family link. I didn't mention her mother and her mothers sister also suffered and died from breast cancer as did her niece, you can imagine the shock when the test came back negative! The consultant actually said " I am pleased to tell you there is no genetic link in the cancer you all suffered, it is simply coincidental that every direct female member has developed this problem" another of her sisters daughters has chosen to have her breasts removed, she simply can't or won't believe that she will not suffer the same fate.

Tingra...what a tragedy for one family to bear! (Bare?)
My brother has two post-docs in chemistry and has been involved in several major drug trials involving drugs and cancer..
He said long ago that scientists were (are) aware of family links or tendencies toward certain types of cancers..
He also said that having cancer is almost a normal state for life...we all harbor the ability for some cells to go wild, and this is not limited to being a human.
You or I may have had cancer several times....our bodies always manage to defeat it and we are not even aware it happened..
sometimes it just takes one or two "triggers" for the scales to tip the other way, and the malignant cells get the upper hand..
In my family, on both paternal and maternal sides..we never have cancer, not even among the heavy smokers. We always die around age 74 from heart-lung related diseases! I don't recall any one of the elders making it to age 80... I am convinced the tendencies are in the DNA passed down through generations..

The 'Melungeons' lived in the Appalachian MOuntains of North America. They posed a special riddle about their origins.
Where were they from? Guesses included they were of Turkish origin, or perhaps from India...
And this is what their DNA finally established:

http://news.yahoo.com/dna-study-seeks-origin-appalachias-melungeons-201144041.html

This link will take you to the National Geographic Genome Project Kit for you and your family!

http://shop.nationalgeographic.com/ngs/product/genographic-kits/genographic-project-participation-kit-for-u.s.-and-canada

A good price, unless they're only testing twelve markers, in which case paying more for an expanded test is a better value and provides much more expansive information. I notice they don't advertise how many markers they're analyzing.

TCP

I got the Genograph kit a few years back. 'Fraid at the top of my head I can't remember the number of markers, but my test was restricted to the Y chromosome. I used the Oxford Ancestors kits for both the mDNA and Y tests (the latter being more detailed than Genographic).

Yeah, I suspect it might be a twelve-marker test, since NatGeo is advertising its use for "deep ancestry" so it wouldn't be very detailed. Which I guess would suffice for people who just want to know what their haplogroup is.

TCP

The information below is from the Oxford University website. Not only does it have an official timeline, including publication date but also how to submit your Bigfoot evidence to Bryan Sykes of Oxford University by December, 2012.

http://www.bigfootlunchclub.com/2012/05/its-official-oxford-universitys-bryan.html

This is an interesting article about DNA testing to determine the origins of family names....great news for those into genealogy!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_genealogy
I also posted this url on the thread about family names..

This link to famous ancient DNA, including that recovered from Saint Luke, the lost tomb of Jesus (James Tabor et al) the Starchild skull, the last great Viking king, King Tut...and many more...this is an older site..Newer information may be available elsewhere online:
http://www.isogg.org/ancientdna.htm

This link describes how the direct ancestor of the 9,000 year old 'Cheddar Man' was discovered.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1590/is_n1_v54/ai_19742021/

Yes, this is essentially what family DNA projects are used for - to confirm or to deny information gleaned through standard genealogical research processes. Rather useless without the paper trail, however, and if the DNA answer is "no" then the sequencing isn't going to tell you who you really are. It might give you clues on where to take your search next (depending on whether or not there are similar sequences in the database) but that's the best one could hope for in that circumstance.



Not much of surprise re: St. Luke. Church tradition maintains he came from Syria, and mtDNA extracted from a tooth taken from the grave shows a 3 to 1 probability that his mother was Syrian and not Greek.



Very misleading article. Sykes extracted mtDNA from Cheddar Man which he could not have passed to descendants if he had any. All that's proven here is that this Adrian Targett fellow's mother, like 1% of the overall population of England, descends from a female related somehow to Cheddar Man's mother. That relationship could be within one or two generations, or a hundred. To tell someone they're a "direct descendant" based on sequencing results like this is absurd.

TCP

So much to learn about DNA..and it seems to advance every month...very hard to keep up with the latest.
There are some interesting articles about DNA in 'Science Daily.'

Common Genetic Threads Link Thousands of Years of Jewish Ancestry
ScienceDaily (June 3, 2010)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100603123707.htm

Population Genetics Reveals Shared Ancestries: DNA Links Modern Europeans, Middle Easterners to Sub-Saharan Africans
ScienceDaily (May 24, 2011)

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110524153536.htm

Rurik's Grave
"There is a large 9th-century funerary barrow in Novgorod Oblast, reminiscent of the mounds at Old Uppsala which is called Shum Gora. Intricately defended against looting, it remains to be excavated. The local inhabitants refer to it as Rurik's Grave.The Rurikid dynasty went on to rule the Kievan Rus', and ultimately the Tsardom of Russia until 1598. Numerous noble Russian and Ruthenian families claim a male-line descent from Rurik, and via Anne of Kiev, wife of Henry I of France, Rurikid ancestry can also be argued for numerous Western European lineages.According to the FamilyTreeDNA Rurikid Dynasty DNA Project, Rurik appears to have belonged to Y-DNA haplogroup N1c1, based on testing of his modern male line descendants. But while genetically related to the later Baltic Finnic peoples, the Rurikids do not possess the DYS390=24 mutation associated with East Finns and Karelians, theirs remaining the ancestral DYS390=23 (which is also found among West Finns). The Rurikid haplotype itself (all 67 markers considered) is more closely associated with Northern Germanic language speakers (Varangians)." source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rurik

If there is a "Rurikid Family Tree DNA Project", then why not also a "Carolingian Family DNA Project?" And a "Merovingian DNA Family Project?" And a "Biblical DNA Family Project?" Not to mention a Des Marets DNA Family Project! The possibilities are endless..
More DNA! More DNA!