This Just In . . . .

We just received this announcement from FTDNA:

Family Tree DNA is pleased to inform you of the pre-launch of our newest test:   the autosomal-based Family Finder test.    This pre-launch will progress in phases so that we do not exceed our lab’s capacity, and to ensure delivering results in a timely basis.    A limited number of our customers are being offered the Family Finder Test during the prelaunch.    We anticipate Family Finder will be offered for general release in the middle of March at the breakthrough price of $249.

While the Y-DNA matches men with a specific paternal line, and the mtDNA finds potential relatives only along the maternal line, Family Finder can look for close relationships along all ancestral lines.

You may now match to male and female cousins from any of your family lines within five generations.    The science behind it uses linked blocks of DNA across the 22 autosomal chromosomes and matches them between two people.    Based on this concept, our bioinformatics team has worked extensively to develop the calculations that would tell you the closeness of the relationship.

The possibilities to find matches abound:

• Aunts & Uncles, Parents and Grandparents
  
• Half siblings and 1st cousins
  
• 2nd, 3rd, and 4th cousins
  
• Possibly 5th cousins and beyond!

When you take the Family Finder test, your results are compared against our Family Finder database.    You will be able to:

• sort your matches by degree of relationship
  
• view their names and e-mail address for immediate communication
  
• download your raw data

Read more about Family Finder testing and Projects.

Special Note:   The Family Finder test requires an untouched vial of DNA. If your kit does not have an extra vial on file, we will mail a collection kit for a new FREE DNA extraction.    After ordering you will be notified by email whether we are able to use a stored vial or will be mailing a new collection kit.

Here are FTDNA's FAQs about the Family Finder test and results.