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Secrets in our DNA

Season 48 Episode 1 | 53m 26s

Some 30 million Americans have sent their DNA to be analyzed by companies like 23andMe and AncestryDNA. But what happens once the sample is in the hands of testing companies, and how accurate are their results? NOVA explores the power of genetic data to reveal family connections, ancestry, and health risks—and even solve criminal cold cases.

Aired: 01/12/21
National Corporate funding for NOVA is provided by Carlisle Companies and Viking Cruises. Major funding for NOVA is provided by the NOVA Science Trust, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers.
Extras
Find out why deadly flash floods are on the rise and how we can protect ourselves from them.
Explore mysterious 9,000-year-old Stone Age megastructures found in the Arabian Desert.
What is speech, really? Neuroscientist Erich Jarvis explores the science behind how we speak.
Discover how two revolutionary ancient inventions changed the course of humanity forever.
Follow ancient humans’ journey into an icy and perilous new land.
Your brain does all kinds of strange things. Neuroscientist Heather Berlin explains how it works.
Discover how Homo sapiens outlasted Neanderthals – and how they helped make us who we are today.
Follow Homo sapiens as they venture out of Africa and spread farther than any other human species.
Has science been missing a fundamental law of nature for centuries?
NASA’s Perseverance rover may have found the clearest signs of ancient life on Mars yet.