Episode 414 - Is DNA Just Another Research Tool? Diahan Southard Talks Genetic Genealogy

Host Scott Fisher opens the show with David Allen Lambert, Chief Genealogist of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and AmericanAncestors.org. The guys begin by talking about the recent article in the Financial Times of London (subscription required) in which Fisher is quoted talking about the coming release of the 1950 US Census. Others from the genealogical community were also interviewed for the piece. Then, David talks about a Minnesota woman who recently won a Swedish reality show. You'll love the prize she won! David then talks about a remarkable article just out on human life expectancy and how much it has changed. (Imagine a time when there were NO grandparents!) Then, explorer Ernest Shackleton's legendary ship, Endurance, has been found! Catch the details. Next… it's another week with another find behind a wall! And of course that was just the beginning of the story. And finally, Fisher shares great news for New York City researchers. The Department of Records & Information Services has just released a free database of over nine million digitized images of original birth, death and marriage records covering up to 1949. There are still four million to go and the search engine needs some work, but it's up and running!

Next, Fisher visits, over two segments, with Diahan Southard, Your DNA Guide, who tackles the question "Is DNA just another tool?" You may already know the answer, but many others don't. Diahan will explain, and will talk about the strategies to help you use DNA to break through your brick walls.

David then returns for a pair of questions on Ask Us Anything. The first has to do with the heir to a hoarder! The second talks about the find of an ancestor on a passenger list and what those names around his ancestor's may do for further research.

That's all this week on Extreme Genes, America's Family History Show!