My genetic ancestry

My genetic ancestry as per ancestry.com:

Asia South <1%
Europe West 75% (Primarily located in: Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein)
Great Britain 7%
Ireland 5%
Iberian Peninsula 4%
Scandinavia 3%
Italy/Greece 3%
Europe East 1%
Pacific Islander <1%
Trace Regions <1%
Polynesia <1%

September 22, 2021 update: Ancestry.com has provided a new Ethnicity Estimate

England & Northwestern Europe 40%

Scotland 24%

Germanic Europe 19%

Sweden & Denmark 13%

9-22-2021 Ancestry.com Ethnicity Estimate

My genetic ancestry as per 23andme.com:

Ancestry Composition tells you what percent of your DNA comes from each of 31 populations worldwide. The analysis includes DNA you received from all of your ancestors, on both sides of your family. The results reflect where your ancestors lived 500 years ago, before ocean-crossing ships and airplanes came on the scene.

British & Irish 38.5% French & German 9.5% Scandinavian 7.7% Broadly Northern European 34% Balkan 1% Iberian 0.7% Italian 0.3% Sardinian .2% Broadly Southern European 3.3% Broadly European 4.9% West African 0.1%

UPDATE 12/15/2015:

23andme.com updated their algorithm 

British & Irish 39.4%
French & German 9.6%
Scandinavian 7.8%
Broadly Northern European 33.2%
Balkan 1%
Iberian 0.7%
Italian 0.4%
Sardinian .2%
Broadly Southern European 3.1%
Broadly European 4.4%
West African 0.1%

My Neanderthal ancestry as per 23andme... I have 281 Neanderthal variants out of 2872 tested for. which puts my DNA at less than 4% Neanderthal. I have 0 Neanderthal variants associated with straighter hair, reduced tendency to sneeze after eating dark chocolate, less back hair and height.

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The following is information generated from 23andme in regards to my sample. While the presence of a variant is not indicative that I will develop that trait/disorder/etc the possibility is there if the right combination of genes expressive themselves in a way as to bring about that trait. 

• Nonsyndromic Hearing Loss and Deafness, DFNB1 (GJB2-Related) NO NEARING LOSS

• Lactose Intolerance Likely tolerant CONFIRMED

• Saturated Fat and Weight Likely to weigh more on a high saturated fat diet UNKNOWN

• Asparagus Odor Detection 61% chance can smell CONFIRMED

• Bitter Taste 51% chance can taste CONFIRMED

• Sweet Taste 66% chance prefers salty CONFIRMED

• Alcohol Flush Reaction Unlikely to flush CONFIRMED

• Caffeine Consumption Likely consumes more CONFIRMED, CAFFEINE TOLERANT

• Sleep Movement Likely more movement during sleep CONFIRMED

• Deep Sleep Less likely a deep sleeper CONFIRMED, LIGHT SLEEPER

• Back Hair 25% chance a lot of upper back hair CONFIRMED, UPPER BACK HAIR

• Cheek Dimples 57% chance no dimple FALSE, HAVE CHEEK DIMPLES

• Cleft Chin 71% chance no cleft chin  CONFIRMED

• Earwax Type 93% chance wet earwax CONFIRMED

• Eye Color 65% chance darker eyes CONFIRMED

• Finger Length Ratio 23% chance index finger longer, 77% chance ring finger longer CONFIRMED, RING FINGER LONGER

• Freckles  61% chance little freckling CONFIRMED

• Hair Curliness 28% chance curly, 72% chance straight or wavy CONFIRMED

• Light or Dark Hair 56% chance dark CONFIRMED

• Photic Sneeze Reflex 52% chance no photic sneeze reflex CONFIRMED

• Skin Pigmentation 96% chance lighter skin CONFIRMED, TANS DARK THOUGH

• Unibrow 91% chance little or no unibrow CONFIRMED, A FEW STRAY HAIRS

• Widow's Peak 67% chance no widow's peak FALSE, HAVE WIDOW'S PEAK

DNA Data Storage

We currently have the technology to use DNA as a data storage medium. In our relentless pursuit of knowledge, the zenith we've reached is 700 petabits, or 87.5 terabytes, per gram of DNA. My curiosity was piqued, and I delved into understanding the weight of a single strand of human DNA and pondered on the data we might be able to encapsulate using our contemporary technology within that weight.

It's astonishing to realize just how intricate and efficient nature is when it comes to storing information. Consider this: a single strand of human DNA weighs approximately 0.000000001 picograms or about 660 billion daltons. Yet, this minuscule strand carries the astounding ability to contain all the information needed to construct a human being.

In our current technological era, we can only artificially store about 0.000000769658 bits of data in a strand of DNA equivalent in weight to a human's DNA strand. To put that in perspective, 1 megabyte is composed of 8,388,608 bits. That's right; our man-made capacity seems almost trivial in comparison.

Now, let's dive a little deeper. We estimate that the 2.9 billion base pairs in human DNA can be represented as 2 bits each, which gives us roughly 725 megabytes. But here's a thought: what if each base pair isn't as straightforward as 2 bits? Could it be equivalent to 2 bytes? Or what if, just perhaps, each base pair is so intricate that it equates to 10 terabytes and we're yet to discover this level of complexity? Imagine the possibility that each base pair is a highly encrypted set of data, which we currently understand as a mere 2 bits.

With all these considerations, our ability to store data in DNA seems to be at a mere fraction of a bit in comparison to nature's staggering capacity of at least 725 megabytes within the same weight.

Drawing from these observations, it's feasible to suggest that nature can store at a minimum of 1 exabyte per gram of DNA. In the grand scheme of things, it's evident that Mother Nature is the ultimate data architect!

How Terahertz Waves Tear Apart DNA

Ok... this is kinda scary. The better our technology gets, the more it's killing us. Ack!

"Great things are expected of terahertz waves, the radiation that fills the slot in the electromagnetic spectrum between microwaves and the infrared. Terahertz waves pass through non-conducting materials such as clothes , paper, wood and brick and so cameras sensitive to them can peer inside envelopes, into living rooms and "frisk" people at distance.

The way terahertz waves are absorbed and emitted can also be used to determine the chemical composition of a material. And even though they don't travel far inside the body, there is great hope that the waves can be used to spot tumours near the surface of the skin.

With all that potential, it's no wonder that research on terahertz waves has exploded in the last ten years or so." View the rest HERE