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At-Home DNA Testing, Placed Under A Microscope : 1A Genealogy is reportedly one of our most popular hobbies, and at-home DNA tests are a trendy holiday gift. But what, exactly, is in the box?

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At-Home DNA Testing, Placed Under A Microscope

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At-Home DNA Testing, Placed Under A Microscope

1A

At-Home DNA Testing, Placed Under A Microscope

At-Home DNA Testing, Placed Under A Microscope

Listen · 35:19
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/943748385/945099363" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
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This illustration picture shows a saliva collection kit for DNA testing displayed in Washington DC. ERIC BARADAT/ERIC BARADAT/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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ERIC BARADAT/ERIC BARADAT/AFP via Getty Images

This illustration picture shows a saliva collection kit for DNA testing displayed in Washington DC.

ERIC BARADAT/ERIC BARADAT/AFP via Getty Images

At-home DNA tests are becoming a popular holiday gift over the holidays. A recent survey by MIT found that 100 million Americans are on track to take one by the end of the next year.

This trend offers private companies the world's largest collection of human DNA. But what are they doing with it?

Can you get a health and ancestry test while also protecting your privacy? And what if the results tell you something that isn't what you expect?

Brandon Ogbunu, Jacquie Haggarty and Joyce Tung of 23andMe and Erin Brodwin joined us to talk about those questions and more.

Like what you hear? Find more of our programs on our website.