Would you like to obtain the DNA information of an ancestor who died years ago? Do you have any letters that he or she wrote? If so, you may already have the DNA information available.
Postage stamps and envelope flaps have been licked for more than 150 years, with saliva DNA being transferred to the item in question. DNA typing has been possible for about twenty years, but has rapidly developed to an immensely powerful technique for personal identification.
The possibilities of identifying a deceased person's DNA include crime solving, genealogy, and genetic disease identification. Many opportunities for further research exist.
Please note that there are no companies that I know of at this time who are offering tests of DNA information extracted from postage stamps or envelope flaps. Such tests today are only available from the FBI and a few other crime laboratories. However, if consumer demand builds, that could change in the not-too-distant future.
You can read a fascinating story about all this, written by Robert M. Bell and Robert S. Blackett, at http://stamps.org/userfiles/file/AP/feature/Feature_03_12.pdf.
NOTE: The article is a PDF file. You must use a PDF reader in your web browser to view it.
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