genetic testing /oss/taxonomy/term/2534/all en Are You There, Race? It’s Me, DNA /oss/article/health-general-science/are-you-there-race-its-me-dna <p>What would you say is Liam Neeson’s race?</p> <p>I ask this question because in this era of the gene, of people swabbing their cheeks to know where their ancestors came from, and of racism glazed over with the shiny patina of science, many people feel confused about race. They have heard that it’s a social construct, but that can be hard to square with rumours that only Black people have sickle cell anemia. And if 23andMe can report on your ancestry, isn’t that proof that race exists at the biological level?</p> Thu, 08 Aug 2019 15:41:10 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 7849 at /oss Ambiguous Genetics Invite Woo /oss/article/general-science/ambiguous-genetics-invite-woo <p>If you could know every letter in your DNA, would you be better off?</p> <p>Our recent obsession with kits like 23andMe’s certainly seems to indicate that many of us believe there is important knowledge (and fun) to be gained from probing our genome. But there is a significant gap between recognizing the alphabet of a foreign language and understanding one of its books.</p> Tue, 16 Jul 2019 19:49:48 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 7831 at /oss Cracked Science 10: Love In Your Genes /oss/article/technology-quackery/cracked-science-10-love-your-genes <p><div class="media-youtube-video media-element file-default media-youtube-1"> <iframe class="media-youtube-player" id="media-youtube-uzv8rvuddi8" width="640" height="390" title="Love In Your Genes (CS10)" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/uzv8rvuDdI8?wmode=opaque&controls=&enablejsapi=1&modestbranding=1&playerapiid=media-youtube-uzv8rvuddi8&origin=https%3A//www.mcgill.ca&rel=0" name="Love In Your Genes (CS10)" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>Video of Love In Your Genes (CS10)</iframe> </div> </p> Thu, 10 May 2018 18:15:00 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 7075 at /oss The Business of Heritage: what’s the deal with genetic sequencing? /oss/article/technology/business-heritage-whats-deal-genetic-sequencing <p>If you’ve ever spent any time in Ireland, you’ll know that heritage is highly marketable; from the-over-the-top Carroll’s gift shops, to the bright green tour buses transiting loads of tourists around the countryside, people seem to be obsessed with all things Irish. As a result of the mass emigration out of Ireland since the 15th century, it’s not surprising that many people feel a great connection to the country and the culture, claiming their own Irish heritage somewhere along their family line.</p> Wed, 14 Jun 2017 14:47:01 +0000 Cassandra Lee, OSS Intern 2546 at /oss