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Dr. Tillman Sends His Youngest Off to College Snack Your Way to Better Health What to Do With All Those Boxes 5 Foods That Naturally Whiten Your Teeth! Cheesy Vegetable Bake
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Unpacking the DNA Travel Trend
Would You Follow Your Genes Around the World? Why DNA Travel Is Trending
There are a few carry-on items every traveler should have for a flight: their driver’s license, their passport, their cellphone, a snack, and … their DNA test results? According to Lonely Planet, these chunks of personal data were travel essentials for many adventure-seekers in 2019. That year, the company declared that “DNA travel” was trending. DNA travel is about more than just bringing your test results along on vacation. True DNA travelers actually plan their trips based on the genetic breakdowns revealed in their tests. It turns out that people will go to great lengths to follow their genes, sometimes putting in thousands of dollars and months of planning. Their goals vary: Some want to get in touch with long-lost relatives, while others simply hope to get closer to their roots. Christina Webb is one such traveler. She told NBC news, “I feel strongly about being 57.8% South Asian, and it makes me want to take a step out of India’s smallest state the next time I visit ... to explore the vibrancy and diversity from Kerala to Delhi and other nearby nations such as Sri Lanka and Nepal.” So where did this trend come from? Well, once upon a time, DNA testing was strictly the purview of cops, courts, and scientists. However, we’ve recently experienced a DNA testing revolution. In 2007, 23andMe began offering in- home DNA testing kits for people curious about their genetic ancestry, an act that opened up testing to a wider audience.
Now, DNA testing kits can be found online or picked up in pharmacies across the country for as little as $99. Users can find out specific details about where their ancestors hailed from, and with a few clicks, it’s possible to turn up specific towns and even long-lost relatives. This sudden boom in availability sparked the DNA travel trend. Then, it really exploded when 23andMe teamed up with Airbnb to send travelers on customizable “DNA journeys.” As the company puts it, you can “find out where your DNA comes from — and use that discovery to create the ultimate travel itinerary.” As of early 2019, more than 26 million curious people had taken consumer DNA tests. If you’re one of them and you’ve been bitten by the travel bug, this just might be the bandwagon for you.
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