For years, many people who are at higher risk for bone fractures — a complex and costly healthcare problem that affects more than nine million people worldwide annually — have heard a familiar refrain: to consume more calcium and vitamin D.
Now, using anonymized 23andMe data from consenting customers, a team of international researchers has identified 15 genetic variants related to increased fracture risk. Their study also went a step further, using genomic information on other risk factors to examine their causal role in developing fractures. They found that only bone mineral density and muscle strength are correlated with susceptibility to bone fractures.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-26497" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/fractures-1024x1024.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="1024" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/fractures-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/fractures-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/fractures-300x300.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/fractures-768x768.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/fractures-880x880.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/fractures-1180x1180.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/fractures-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/fractures-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/fractures-574x574.jpg 574w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/fractures-980x980.jpg 980w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/fractures.jpg 1732w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
<h2>Bone Mineral Density</h2>
Contrary to the long-considered “gold standard” for fracture prevention, the researchers determined that vitamin D and calcium do not directly decrease fracture risk. Instead, the team’s results show that the most valuable interventions should focus on increasing bone mineral density and muscle strength.
“One of the most important insights from our work for patients at risk of osteoporosis is obtaining robust evidence from the genetic studies that ‘widespread’ vitamin D and calcium supplementation is unlikely to be effective for the prevention of fracture,” said Fernando Rivadeneira, Genetic Epidemiologist from Erasmus MC and the lead author of the study.
However, researchers caution that there are limitations to their finding. For instance, some groups may be underrepresented this study, as the majority of individuals in the study cohort were of European ancestry.
The study was co-led by researchers from Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and McGill University in Montreal, Canada. It analyzed de-identified data from more than 500,000 individuals, including 23andMe customers who consented to participate, making it the first and largest genome-wide association study for fracture risk. The work builds on <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/fragile-bones-and-genetics/">previous research by scientists at McGil</a>l.
<h2>Diet and Exercise</h2>
Despite the findings, the scientists said individuals should not use this study to change their medical regimes.
“Patients using osteoporosis medication should not discontinue their supplements before consulting with their treating physicians,” said Rivadeneira. &#8220;Procuring a healthy diet, remaining physically active, and getting 15 minutes of sun exposure every day are the main pillars of sustainable bone health.”
Beyond the genetic associations identified, the study also marks an important milestone for investigating genetic relationships with known interventions for different conditions. The scientists hope to use this study as a model for research into other health risks.

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

New Clues on Vitamin D and Bone Fractures

Some of the same genes associated with cannabis use are also associated with risk-taking personality types and psychiatric conditions like schizophrenia, according to a new large-scale genetic study.
&nbsp;
The <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-018-0206-1">study</a>, conducted by a team of scientists who are part of the <a href="https://www.ru.nl/bsi/research/group-pages/substance-use-addiction-food-saf/vm-saf/genetics/international-cannabis-consortium-icc/">International Cannabis Consortium</a>, is the largest genome wide association study to date that looks at the use of cannabis.
&nbsp;
The researchers found that people who are at a higher genetic risk for schizophrenia are also more likely to use cannabis. The study also identified 35 different genes associated with cannabis use with the strongest associations in the gene CADM2.
&nbsp;
“CADM2 has already been associated with risky behaviour, personality and alcohol use,” said Jacqueline Vink of <a href="https://www.ru.nl/bsi/">Radboud University</a>, and the study’s lead author.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Cannabis-use-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-26491" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Cannabis-use-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Cannabis-use-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Cannabis-use-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Cannabis-use-880x587.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Cannabis-use-1180x787.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />For this study, the researchers were able to look across more than a million genetic variants and found a genetic overlap between cannabis use and the use of tobacco and the use of alcohol. The researchers also saw an overlap between a higher likelihood for the use of cannabis and an increased risk for schizophrenia. There was a similar overlap between cannabis use and personality types that were prone to more <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/genetics-associations-personality-traits/">risky behaviour</a> or were more extraverted. This means that genetic variants impacting cannabis use partially impact other psychological or psychiatric features as well, according to the researchers.
&nbsp;
For this study, the researchers used data primarily from the UK Biobank, as well as association data from 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research. On top of that data the researchers used data from individuals in 16 other smaller study cohorts. In all the study included data from more than 180,000 people. In all the researchers found 35 genes associated with cannabis use, offering more insight into the genetic influences on personality types. The team of researchers was lead by Prof. Vink of Radboud University, and included contributions from researchers at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Australia, as well as scientists at Virginia Commonwealth University, and 17 different research groups from Europe, North America and Australia.
The study showed that the genes increasing the risk of cannabis use partially increase the risk of schizophrenia as well. The researchers used an analysis technique called &#8220;Mendelian randomisation&#8221; to show a causal relationship between a genetic predisposition for schizophrenia and an increased risk of cannabis use. This may indicate that people with schizophrenia use cannabis as a form of self-medication. However, the researchers cannot exclude a reverse cause-and-effect relationship, meaning that a genetic predisposition for cannabis could contribute to the risk of schizophrenia.
&nbsp;
The team that worked on this study are already starting to explore which genes play a role in the frequency of cannabis use and the amount of cannabis used.
&nbsp;
.

Scientists Identify Genes associated with Cannabis Use

23andMe’s <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-ancestry/">Ancestry Composition report</a> is an evolving analysis of your DNA that gets more precise over time. A new update offers more detail for people with African and East Asian ancestry.
The update comes thanks to the contributions of our customers and new sources of publicly available data, such as the 1000 Genomes Project. In addition, 23andMe’s own African Genetics Project has allowed for the addition of more diverse reference populations. This, in turn, enables more detailed Ancestry Composition breakdowns for customers with African or East Asian ancestry. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-26486 size-full" title="Sub-Saharian African Ancestry" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/AC-33-Africa.001.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="768" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/AC-33-Africa.001.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/AC-33-Africa.001-300x225.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/AC-33-Africa.001-768x576.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/AC-33-Africa.001-880x660.jpg 880w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
<h2>Sub-Saharan Africa and Senegambian &amp; Guinean Ancestry</h2>
23andMe researchers have added nine new ancestral regions to Africa and four more to East Asia, creating the most detailed view for customers with African or East Asian ancestry. The most significant part of this update is the additional granularity for Sub-Saharan Africa. This now includes 13 distinct ancestral populations, said David Poznik, a 23andMe Senior Scientist and Population Geneticist.
“Before this update, our Sub-Saharan Africa region had just three subgroups, belying the tremendous genetic diversity within the continent,” David said. “Humans were diversifying In Africa for hundreds of thousands of years before anyone left to colonize other parts of the world.”

These changes are currently available for customers on the company’s latest genotyping chip version. Our team is working to make this update available for all customers soon.
The addition of these new reference populations follows 23andMe’s update earlier this year, which increased the number of countries and regions included in Ancestry Composition from 31 to 151. The company is constantly striving to help customers access, understand, and benefit from the human genome, and the updates are a step forward in achieving these goals.
Three rich data sources made the updates possible: the <a href="https://www.23andme.com/africa-project/">African Genetics Project</a>, for which 23andMe provided DNA kits to individuals with four grandparents born in the same African country; customer-supplied information; and the 1000 Genomes Project, a public repository of diverse human sequences.
For 23andMe, this is just the beginning of a series of updates that will increase the number of populations covered by Ancestry Composition over time. “The Global Genetics Project is an ambitious initiative that will fuel future updates,” said Poznik.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-26482 size-full" title="Global Genetics Project" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/full_world_map.png" alt="" width="2841" height="1509" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/full_world_map.png 2841w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/full_world_map-300x159.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/full_world_map-768x408.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/full_world_map-1024x544.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/full_world_map-880x467.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/full_world_map-1180x627.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2841px) 100vw, 2841px" />“We have a list of around 60 countries that we’ve identified as top priorities,” he said. “These are countries with fairly large populations but that aren’t well-represented in our database. We’re giving away kits to people with ancestries from these countries because we’re eager to collect data that will enable us to improve our product for other people from these regions.”
<h2>Let’s take a deeper dive into this newest update</h2>
23andMe&#8217;s Ancestry Composition report enables our customers to dig into the genetic origins of their ancestors. It allows customers to learn from the DNA that makes them who they are today. 23andMe provides two types of insights that delve into different periods: ancestry composition percentages and recent ancestry locations. Your Ancestry Composition report estimates the percentage of your DNA traces to different regions. We do this by comparing thousands of chunks of DNA across your genome to reference populations, individuals with known ancestry from specific regions. By comparing customer DNA segments with reference data, we can find which matches your DNA most closely. For recent ancestor locations, we look for stretches of DNA you may share identically with other 23andMe customers from particular countries. Together, these insights give customers a more complete view of their ancestry.
Thanks to our customers, particularly those who participated in the African Genetics Project, our researchers were able to begin breaking down African ancestry in more detail. 23andMe can now estimate what percentages of your DNA derive from each of 13 populations across the African continent.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-26487 size-full" title="East Asian and Native American Ancestry" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/AC-33-East-Asia.001.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="768" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/AC-33-East-Asia.001.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/AC-33-East-Asia.001-300x225.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/AC-33-East-Asia.001-768x576.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/AC-33-East-Asia.001-880x660.jpg 880w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />For details about these populations, visit our customer care webpage (Reference populations)
23andMe has also increased granularity in Southeast Asia, distinguishing four new populations: Chinese Dai, Vietnamese, Filipino &amp; Austronesian, and Indonesian, Khmer, Thai &amp; Myanma.
<h2>When will my report be updated? </h2>
Starting in July, 23andMe began making this update available to customers who were genotyped on the latest version of our genotyping chip (version 5).
Do you have an older version of our chip? Fear not—23andMe is actively working on supporting this update for customers genotyped on older chips. Existing customers will receive notifications on their reports when their results have been recalculated.
<h5>Ongoing Research 
</h5>
These new breakdowns were made possible by our customers&#8217; participation in research. In late 2016, 23andMe launched the African Genetics Project to improve diversity in research and provide better ancestry composition results for customers. More than 1,000 individuals participated in the initiative, leading to an influx of new reference data that helped to diversify our research database and has enabled 23andMe to improve results for customers with African ancestry.
23andMe is now undertaking the Global Genetics Project. As part of this effort, 23andMe is reaching out to thousands of individuals with recent heritage from over 60 countries in Africa, Oceania, Asia, and the Americas. Check out the landing page <a href="https://www.23andme.com/global-genetics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=https://www.23andme.com/global-genetics/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1535037961314000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHEKE-k-xKQzlnPEpTtjXvcQwWQwg">here</a> to learn more.
Our reference panels include data from more than 10,000 people around the world, both from publicly available datasets (the Human Genome Diversity Project and the 1000 Genomes Project) and from many 23andMe customers who have consented to participate in research.
<h2>Updated List of Populations in Africa &amp; East Asia</h2>
Sub-Saharan Africa
Congolese
Southern East African
<ul>
<li>Kenya</li>
<li>Rwanda</li>
</ul>
Broadly Congolese &amp; Southern East African
Ethiopian &amp; Eritrean
<ul>
<li>Ethiopia</li>
<li>Eritrea</li>
</ul>
Somali
Sudanese
Broadly Northern East African
Senegambian &amp; Guinean
<ul>
<li>Guinea</li>
</ul>
Coastal West African
Nigerian
Broadly West African
<ul>
<li>Cabo Verde</li>
<li>Cameroon</li>
</ul>
African Hunter-Gatherer
Broadly Sub-Saharan African
East Asia &amp; the Americas 
Chinese
<ul>
<li>Mainland China</li>
<li>Taiwan</li>
</ul>
Chinese Dai
Vietnamese
Indonesian, Thai, Khmer &amp; Myanma
<ul>
<li>Indonesia</li>
<li>Thailand</li>
<li>Cambodia</li>
<li>Myanmar</li>
<li>Malaysia</li>
</ul>
Filipino &amp; Austronesian
<ul>
<li>Philippines</li>
<li>Guam</li>
<li>Northern Mariana Islands</li>
<li>Tonga</li>
<li>American Samoa</li>
<li>Samoa</li>
</ul>
Broadly, Chinese &amp; Southeast Asian
Korean
<ul>
<li>North Korea</li>
<li>South Korea</li>
</ul>
Japanese
Broadly Korean &amp; Japanese
Native American
<ul>
<li>Argentina</li>
<li>Aruba</li>
<li>Belize</li>
<li>Bolivia</li>
<li>Brazil</li>
<li>Chile</li>
<li>Colombia</li>
<li>Costa Rica</li>
<li>Cuba</li>
<li>Dominican Republic</li>
<li>Ecuador</li>
<li>El Salvador</li>
<li>Guatemala</li>
<li>Honduras</li>
<li>Mexico</li>
<li>Nicaragua</li>
<li>Panama</li>
<li>Paraguay</li>
<li>Peru</li>
<li>Puerto Rico</li>
<li>Uruguay</li>
<li>Venezuela</li>
</ul>
Siberian
Manchurian &amp; Mongolian
<ul>
<li>Kazakhstan</li>
<li>Kyrgyzstan</li>
<li>Mongolia</li>
</ul>
Broadly, North Asian &amp; Native American
Broadly, East Asian &amp; Native American
Endnote: All 23andMe customers will soon receive 23andMe&#8217;s Ancestry Composition update, which will include additional regions in Africa and East Asia.

New African & East Asian Details in 23andMe’s Latest Ancestry Composition Update

One of the few issues a majority of Americans agree on is that race relations are not getting better — they are getting worse, according to a new survey on attitudes about race and genetics done in a collaboration between researchers at 23andMe and Northwestern. But the survey conducted by <a href="https://www.csdd.northwestern.edu/">Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy</a> also captured a promising transformation in thinking about race — a change possibly influenced by young people who no longer identify in binary terms, as well as the advent of at-home DNA testing.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/racial-identity-300x300.jpg" alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-26463" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/racial-identity-300x300.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/racial-identity-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/racial-identity-768x767.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/racial-identity-880x880.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/racial-identity-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/racial-identity-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/racial-identity-574x574.jpg 574w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/racial-identity-980x980.jpg 980w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/racial-identity.jpg 1025w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
“We&#8217;re a hell of a lot better off than I thought we were,” said<a href="https://www.polisci.northwestern.edu/people/core-faculty/alvin-tillery.html"> Al Tillery</a>, Jr, Ph.D., an associate professor and associate chair of Northwestern University’s department of political science who led the study. “What I expected &#8230; is that about two-thirds of Americans would believe that race and genetics are tightly bound together. We actually found the opposite. Only about a third of Americans nationally see a strong connection.”
Almost half of Americans said that while your genetics plays a role in determining racial identity, it doesn’t determine it, according to the survey.
The science also supports this nuanced understanding of racial identity. In fact, what we think of as race is largely<a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/race-is-a-social-construct-scientists-argue/"> a “social construct,”</a> not a biological one.
For Prof. Tillery, it was encouraging to see that Americans have absorbed this concept, especially during these divisive times. What the science shows is that genetic differences are not significant enough to support biological definitions of racial categories. That doesn’t mean there are not genetic variations that reflect different ancestral groups, but what people think about when they think about race usually focuses on skin color, which, although heavily influenced by genetics, is controlled by a tiny fraction of our genome. Any two individuals are 99.5 percent genetically similar. While those minuscule differences mark what makes us each unique, focusing on them exclusively may exacerbate social tensions.
Prof. Tillery’s comments on the new survey were part of a broader discussion about race that played out during the second episode of a new iHeart radio podcast “<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1422827494">Spit — Conversations on DNA</a>.”
Hosted by the comedian and writer<a href="http://baratunde.com/"> Baratunde Thurston</a>, the podcasts will be discussions with some of the most influential thinkers on the impact of so many people using genetic testing to learn about themselves. Joining Professor Tillery on this second episode was the musician<a href="https://www.wyclef.com/"> Wyclef Jean</a>. In the first episode, 23andMe’s CEO and Co-Founder Anne Wojiciki joined Baratunde for a wide-ranging and entertaining conversation about genetics on episode one.
But the discussions with Wyclef and Prof Tillery focused on this new survey by Northwestern, a survey that marks new territory. Polls measuring attitudes about race relations, an already contentious subject, are nothing new, but this one is perhaps the first to look at attitudes towards race and genetics. Discussions of race and genetics have a long and troublesome history. One in which the science has been misused for racist purposes. 
“I give (23andMe) a lot of credit for just wanting to know,” said Prof. Tillery “They came to me and said, ‘You know about race relations, how can we design a study where we can see what Americans think about the relationship between genetics and race?’”
And the point wasn’t just to look at race and genetics, but also whether testing might be making matters better or worse. Some critics of DNA testing argue that it<a href="https://nationalpost.com/news/world/are-genetic-ancestry-tests-reinforcing-wrongheaded-ideas-of-race"> reinforces perceptions of racial differences</a>. They point to something called “reification theory,” a concept that in this context means DNA testing solidifies people’s definitions of racial categories, making them seem more concrete. But there isn’t much evidence to support this. It’s possible that testing does the opposite by reminding people of how mixed we all are, but the evidence for either theory is not there yet. 23andMe hopes to do follow-up surveys to learn more.
“I’m excited by how the results of this survey can kick start a frank conversation about genetics and racial identity,” said Joanna Mountain, 23andMe’s Senior Director of Research, who was also involved in designing the study. 
During the podcast, Baratunde got beyond what was in the study and talked with Wyclef about why, despite any two people being 99.5 percent genetically similar, many of us “spend a lot of time focusing on that 0.5 percent difference.”
“(I)t&#8217;s very interesting just listening to the overall statistics,” Wyclef said. “I would say that traveling probably half of the globe, I think it&#8217;s something that everyone should know. We have so much more in common than you could even imagine.”
Listen to this whole riveting discussion on episode two of <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1422827494">“Spit — Conversations on DNA”</a> or check out other episodes as they come online. We will be sharing more on this new Race and Genetics Survey in the coming weeks.
&nbsp;

A New Survey On Attitudes About Race and Genetics

He hadn’t given up looking, but Richard had long ago stopped expecting he’d find anything about his biological family.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="169" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Richard-B-300x169.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-26408" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Richard-B-300x169.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Richard-B-768x432.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Richard-B-880x495.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Richard-B-980x555.jpg 980w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Richard-B.jpg 986w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></figure>



A 50-year-old adoptee, he’d been stymied for years by sealed adoption records. So when Richard’s wife gave him a 23andMe kit for Christmas last year, they were more focused on learning about health and traits he may have inherited, and maybe get some information about his ancestry.



That’s why one of his DNA Relative connections was such a shock.



“When I read the first line: ‘I am your sister,’ I dropped my phone,” Richard told KSNV Channel 3 in Las Vegas.



Connecting with Sarah, his half-sister in London, allowed him to fill in the blank pages of his life. And probably most emotional of all for Richard was that Sarah immediately knew who he was. She’d known about him for more than 15 years but assumed he was living in Ireland. Her father, Richard’s biological father, had told her about having fathered a child with his girlfriend when the two were in college and of putting up the boy&#8217;s adoption. That’s all that Sarah had known.



But it was all a revelation to Richard, who was able to learn more about his biological family.



“I had completely given up hope of ever finding out any information about my birth family,” he said. “I now know so much more about my adoption and my birth father, and I have gained an amazing sister.”



&nbsp;

23andMe Helps Adoptee Find Biological Family

In his regular<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/column/matter"> column</a> for The New York Times, Carl Zimmer writes with compelling clarity about genetics and human evolution explaining why the science matters, skills he deftly unleashes in his massive new book<a href="https://carlzimmer.com/books/she-has-her-mothers-laugh/"> “She Has Her Mother’s Laugh: The Powers, Perversions, and Potential of Heredity.”</a><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Zimmer-Book-Cover.jpg" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-26399 size-full" width="298" height="450" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Zimmer-Book-Cover.jpg 298w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Zimmer-Book-Cover-199x300.jpg 199w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 298px) 100vw, 298px" />
In this book, Zimmer looks at more than just the science, delving into the history, characters, and breakthroughs that have changed what we know about heredity. While this book focuses a lot on genetics, Zimmer also conveys that heredity is more than just biology, it’s also the cultural, social and environmental heritage we pass on to future generations. And it is here that the book draws its power.
<h6>Heredity</h6>
Zimmer appropriately brings our attention to the science and the potency of this information, but he also brings us context. Your DNA is important but it is never the whole picture of who or what you are. It’s surprising that even today, this is still not well understood.
And Zimmer illustrates how this persistent failure to understand the nuance and complexity of science leads to folly or much worse, as his book so ably outlines with the disturbing history of eugenics in the United States. As Zimmer writes “we cannot understand the natural world with a simplistic notion of genetic heredity.” There is not a “gene for intelligence” or a “gene for height.” 
It’s much more complicated, and much more interesting than all that.
<h6>Genetic Inheritance</h6>
But more than these somber warnings Zimmer’s book is also a personal story — a reflection on what he and his wife passed onto their daughters, and the genetics he shares with his brother, his parents and his distant ancestors. How many of us have looked at our own children or our parents and wondered about what in us we share with them?
Zimmer explores all this by delving into the history of the science as well as his own genome, which he had sequenced. He also writes about the trepidation around learning something he can’t unlearn about risks he may pass onto his children. And he spends time in the book mulling over why so many of us are so enthralled with searching for our ancestors. 
What draws us to be so fascinated about those who came before us?
<h6>Some Science History</h6>
Ultimately with his own story and the history of the science he writes about, Zimmer creates a sort of compendium of tales that capture critical concepts in genetics. Like all his best work, Zimmer digs into what is so fascinating and vital about the science, and he sprinkles surprising and sometimes shocking tidbits that draw us deeper. 
For example, it really was only in the 19th century that scientists started to understand that there was some biological essence that parents passed onto their children. Traits had more to do with external factors like the weather, it was thought. It wasn&#8217;t about who your parents were. For example, Aristotle believed tall people came from cold climates. Heredity was mostly about property and bloodlines, not biology.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Carl-Zimmer-Photo-by-Mistina-Hanscom-284x300.jpg" alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-26398" width="284" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Carl-Zimmer-Photo-by-Mistina-Hanscom-284x300.jpg 284w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Carl-Zimmer-Photo-by-Mistina-Hanscom.jpg 426w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 284px) 100vw, 284px" />
<h5>The Habsburgs</h5>
The book is actually steeped in fascinating history, which Zimmer uses to remind us how new the science is. 
He details the intricate tales like that of the<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/ancestry/the-end-of-a-dynasty-how-inbreeding-doomed-the-house-of-habsburg/"> Habsburgs health</a> issues. And he writes about the fate of the famous writer Pearl S. Buck’s daughter in the early 20th century. He covers the story of <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/luther-burbank-what-comes-after-heirloom-seeds">Luther Burbank</a> and his seeds and<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemartin"> Freemartin cows</a>. And Zimmer explains the surprising fact that mothers don’t just pass on genes to their children, but remnants of their baby’s DNA remain in their bloodstream after birth.
<h6>Zimmer</h6>
All this history is fascinating but Zimmer is best at keeping the science current. Almost every week we see new breakthroughs in genetic science, and Zimmer’s writing is fresh with insight. He dedicates a chapter on the promise and peril of gene editing faced by scientists using the CRISPR. Zimmer includes the fascinating science of epigenetics, and he writes about the studies that use genetics for social science research like<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/massive-study-on-the-genetics-of-educational-attainment/"> educational attainment. </a> All of that has been in the news this summer. His book is attuned to what is happening now in genetics.
But “She Has Her Mother’s Laugh” isn’t just about genetics. Nor is it just about the importance of understanding the science. Zimmer argues that we need to think beyond genes to capture the full scope of heredity. Genes are not the only thing that are passed from one generation to another.
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Book Review: She Has Her Mother’s Laugh

23andMe joined forces with non-profit organization <a href="https://fpf.org/about/">Future of Privacy Forum</a> along with Ancestry, Helix, and other leading personal genetic testing companies to issue a new Privacy Best Practices for Consumer Genetic Testing Services.
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The document offers a policy framework for protecting consumer information, as well as guidelines for the collection, protection, sharing and use of genetic data generated from consumer genetic testing.
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“Everyone who participates in a genetic testing service deserves to have their information protected, no matter which service or product they use,” said Kate Black, 23andMe’s Global Privacy Officer. “It&#8217;s imperative that all consumer genetic testing companies adhere to comprehensive privacy protections, and clearly communicate their policies to consumers in a transparent manner.”
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Much of the fundamental tenets of the policy are already core to <a href="https://www.23andme.com/privacy/">23andMe’s privacy protections for consumers</a>.
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&#8220;With over a decade of experience as a leader in consumer genetic testing, we&#8217;ve built incredibly strong privacy practices,” Kate said. “We are happy to now work with the industry and an organization like the FPF to solidify best practices, and help ensure proper protection of consumers&#8217; genetic information more broadly.&#8221;
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Find out more <a href="https://fpf.org/2018/07/31/future-of-privacy-forum-and-leading-genetic-testing-companies-announce-best-practices-to-protect-privacy-of-consumer-genetic-data/">here</a>.
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<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/FPF-Genetics-Infographic-FINAL.jpg" alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-26396" width="792" height="612" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/FPF-Genetics-Infographic-FINAL.jpg 792w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/FPF-Genetics-Infographic-FINAL-300x232.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/FPF-Genetics-Infographic-FINAL-768x593.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 792px) 100vw, 792px" />

Best Practices for Protecting Consumers’ Privacy

23andMe released a new batch of <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/">trait reports</a> that  look at whether your DNA indicates you might be tastier to mosquitoes than others, or why you can sing back a musical note or get the heebie-jeebies looking down from great heights, or even why your hair lightens in the sun.
Let&#8217;s take a closer look at each report:
<h6>Mosquito Bite Frequency </h6>
<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/mosquito-bites/"> A study</a> that 23andMe collaborated on with researchers at Pfizer Inc last year, showed that genetics plays a role in both the amount of swelling from a bite and how often a person gets bit. That study found 15 genetic variants — almost all on or near genes associated with the immune response — associated with both the intensity of the reaction to the bite and the frequency of bites.
23andMe’s new Mosquito Bite Frequency trait report goes far beyond those initial findings and uses more than 280 genetic variants associated with mosquito attractiveness to calculate its estimate. It turns out that female mosquitoes — it’s only the female mosquito that drinks our blood — have a good nose for prey.
Their complex olfactory system leads them to prefer some people’s scent to others. Indeed, data from 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research indicate that more than a third, 37.5 percent, report being bitten more often than others. A little more than a quarter, 27.5 percent, said they were bitten less frequently.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-26391 size-large" title="Mosquite Bite Frequency" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Mosquitobite.jpg-1002x1024.png" alt="" width="1002" height="1024" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Mosquitobite.jpg-1002x1024.png 1002w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Mosquitobite.jpg-294x300.png 294w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Mosquitobite.jpg-768x785.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Mosquitobite.jpg-861x880.png 861w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Mosquitobite.jpg-1155x1180.png 1155w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1002px) 100vw, 1002px" />
<h6>Hair Photobleaching </h6>
Beyond getting a few bug bites another rite of summer is getting a little sun, and for some that can also mean a slight change in the color of their hair. But getting a beach blonde hairdo is a bit more complicated than you’d imagine with dozens of genetic variants influencing whether the sun will lighten your hair. 23andMe scientists identified 48 different genetic variants that affect this trait among people of European ancestry. The genetics around <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/hair-photobleaching">hair photobleaching</a> should not be confused with the<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/untangling-the-genetics-of-hair-color/"> hundreds of genes associated with hair color</a>. According to data that 23andMe used to create this trait report, a little more than 72 percent of customers who consented to participate in research and have European ancestry reported that the sun lightens their hair.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-26390 size-large" title="Hair Photobleaching" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Photobleaching.jpg-837x1024.png" alt="" width="837" height="1024" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Photobleaching.jpg-837x1024.png 837w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Photobleaching.jpg-245x300.png 245w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Photobleaching.jpg-768x940.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Photobleaching.jpg-719x880.png 719w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Photobleaching.jpg-964x1180.png 964w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 837px) 100vw, 837px" />
<h6>Fear of Heights</h6>
It turns out that certain fears, including acrophobia, which is the fear of heights, have a genetic component. 23andMe reports on whether your genetics makes you more or less likely than the average person to be afraid of heights. While a phobia can be learned, there are also fears that are influenced by genetics. Fear of heights is relatively common, affecting as many as<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00415-012-6685-1"> one in three people</a>, according to one study.
This is consistent with what scientists at 23andMe found among customers who consented to participate in research, with about 37 percent saying they were afraid of heights. The feelings one has may be based on the visual stimulus one experiences when standing near the edge of a significant drop-off, where the nearby objects one uses as optical input to maintain balance is absent. Scientists believe that acrophobia might be stronger in those who depend heavily on visual information for balance, which also has a genetic component.
<h6><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-26389 size-large" title="Fear of Heights" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/FearOheights.jpg-1024x1001.png" alt="" width="1024" height="1001" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/FearOheights.jpg-1024x1001.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/FearOheights.jpg-300x293.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/FearOheights.jpg-768x751.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/FearOheights.jpg-880x860.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/FearOheights.jpg-1180x1153.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Ability to match music note </h6>
More than just being able to sing, the ability to match a musical note is something that some people are just<a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2018-04-11/how-much-of-our-ability-to-sing-in-tune-is-inherited/9636506"> born with</a>. 23andMe now reports on whether your genetics makes it more or less likely that you’ll match a <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/musical-pitch/">musical pitch</a>. Although it might seem simple for those with this instinctive ability, there is actually a lot going on. Reproducing a note requires the ability first to hear the pitch, and then the brain identifies the muscles needed to produce the sound. About half of 23andMe customers who consented to participate in research say they can sing back any note, and our researchers have identified no fewer than 500 genetic variants associated with the ability to match musical pitch.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-26388 size-large" title="Match Musical Pitch" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/MusicalPitch.jpg-876x1024.png" alt="" width="876" height="1024" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/MusicalPitch.jpg-876x1024.png 876w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/MusicalPitch.jpg-257x300.png 257w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/MusicalPitch.jpg-768x898.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/MusicalPitch.jpg-753x880.png 753w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/MusicalPitch.jpg-1009x1180.png 1009w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 876px) 100vw, 876px" />
<h6>Genetic Traits</h6>
Together, these trait reports show that traits like these — as well as the more than two-dozen others that we offer to health + ancestry customers — are influenced by your genetics. The reports can help give you a bit more insight into the fascinating world of genetics, and how the interplay between your DNA and your environment can ultimately influence who you are.
We encourage you to <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/">check them out</a>.

Itching to See 23andMe’s New Trait Reports

Since the inception of 23andMe, our mission has been to help people access, understand and benefit from the human genome. 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Anne-headshot_2018-e1532470981667-252x300.jpeg" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-26375" width="280" height="334" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Anne-headshot_2018-e1532470981667-252x300.jpeg 252w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Anne-headshot_2018-e1532470981667-859x1024.jpeg 859w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Anne-headshot_2018-e1532470981667-990x1180.jpeg 990w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Anne-headshot_2018-e1532470981667-768x915.jpeg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Anne-headshot_2018-e1532470981667-739x880.jpeg 739w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 280px) 100vw, 280px" />
We have also built a significant research team that has published over 100 scientific papers. In 2015, we launched 23andMe Therapeutics to develop novel treatments and cures based on <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry/">genetic insights</a> from the consented 23andMe community.
<h6>Novel Treatments</h6>
Today, I am thrilled to <a href="https://mediacenter.23andme.com/press-releases/gsk-and-23andme-sign-agreement-to-leverage-genetic-insights-for-the-development-of-novel-medicines/">announce</a> that we are launching a collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to accelerate our ability to make those novel treatments and cures a reality. <code style="display: none;"> </code>
I hear regularly from customers that they want to be part of a solution that is improving health care. We all have some disease or health issue that we care about. 23andMe has created a research platform to enable customers to actively participate in research — to not wait for solutions to appear, but for people to come together and make discoveries happen.  By working with GSK, we believe we will accelerate the development of breakthroughs. Our genetic research — powered by millions of customers who have agreed to contribute — combined with GSK’s expertise in drug discovery and development, gives us the best chance for success.
<h6>Choice</h6>
Our top priority is our customer, and empowering each individual with the options to participate in research. As always, customers choose whether or not to participate in research. Customers can choose to opt-in or opt-out at any time. 
I started 23andMe with the belief that by getting people interested in learning about themselves and participating in research, we would all benefit. Today is an important milestone in how 23andMe will be able to impact the lives of those with disease and how we will be able to improve the future of healthcare.
Finally, I want to recognize GSK for their commitment to empowering consumers to play a role in creating impactful new treatments and helping redefine how we discover novel medicines in the future.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/sig_small_transparent.jpg" alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-23161 size-full" width="318" height="133" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/sig_small_transparent.jpg 318w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/sig_small_transparent-300x125.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 318px) 100vw, 318px" />

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