[quote] DNA test can detect Picts’ descendants
By Auslan Cramb, Scottish Correspondent
(Filed: 14/08/2006)
A geneticist has created a DNA test for “Scottishness” that will tell people whether they are direct descendants of the Picts.
The test, expected to cost about £130, checks a sample of saliva against 27 genetic markers linked to some of the earliest inhabitants of Scotland.
Dr Jim Wilson, of the public health sciences department at Edinburgh University, said: "We started this work a few years ago, looking at the Norse component, and we proved that a large proportion of people on Orkney are descended from Vikings.
“Now the markers have moved on massively and we have discovered that we can trace back the component of the indigenous Picts by looking at the unique grouping of their Y-chromosome. We believe that this would have been found only in Scotland.”
Scientists were able to isolate the unique Pictish DNA strands from 1,000-year-old bone fragments found in ancient burial grounds. telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh … ndna14.xml[/quote]
Hee hee, these geneticists are on to a good thing here. £130 for a test? It’s the same racket as that test to find out if you’re descended from Confucius. Watch the money roll in.
Dare I suggest a simpler test for Scottishness involving a fifty-pence piece, a pavement and some superglue? No?
Sure doesn’t offend me. Unless this specific Y chromosome grouping is supposed to be related to Scots’ propensity for violent behaviour – oh, wait, no that can’t be right – that’s the Maoris – THEY’RE the violent ones.
All a bit late, but if they could have done the same thing to prove an Irish gene, perhaps all those faux American Iriishmen may have fle less compelled to give the IRA collection plate . . . the world would never have learnt the wonder of green beer, and St Patrick’s day could have remained a small fairly meaningless gathering at a real Irish pub. Pity.
