Comments on: Remains of last two Romanov children identified http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/345 History fetish? What history fetish? Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:11:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Anonymous http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/345#comment-19202 Anonymous Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:15:04 +0000 http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/345#comment-19202 :chicken: :chicken: :chicken: :chicken: :chicken: :skull: :skull: :skull: :hattip: :hattip: :chicken: :chicken: :chicken: :chicken: :chicken: :skull: :skull: :skull: :hattip: :hattip:

]]> By: livius drusus http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/345#comment-15159 livius drusus Sun, 04 May 2008 13:07:33 +0000 http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/345#comment-15159 You, sir, never stop giving. You, sir, never stop giving.

]]> By: TomJoe http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/345#comment-15158 TomJoe Sun, 04 May 2008 13:06:08 +0000 http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/345#comment-15158 It's ok, you're forgiven this time. ;) It’s ok, you’re forgiven this time. ;)

]]> By: livius drusus http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/345#comment-15157 livius drusus Sun, 04 May 2008 12:52:28 +0000 http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/345#comment-15157 Excellent point. I suspect the geneticists are examining the nuclear DNA of both the male and female offspring to confirm that half of it matches Nicholas'. The reporter just described it sloppily. I shoulda caught it, though. How can I scoff at crappy science reporting if I don't catch those kinds of errors? :no: Excellent point. I suspect the geneticists are examining the nuclear DNA of both the male and female offspring to confirm that half of it matches Nicholas’. The reporter just described it sloppily.

I shoulda caught it, though. How can I scoff at crappy science reporting if I don’t catch those kinds of errors? :no:

]]> By: TomJoe http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/345#comment-15151 TomJoe Sun, 04 May 2008 03:11:46 +0000 http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/345#comment-15151 <i>The test results were based on analysis of mitochondrial DNA, the genetic material passed down only from mothers to children. That DNA is more stable than nuclear DNA — <b>the material inherited from the father’s side</b> — especially when remains are badly damaged.</i> Slight clarification here. Nuclear DNA is inherited from the father <b>and</b> mother. 22 matching pairs of chromosomes are inherited by all offspring, half of each set from the mother, the other half donated by the father. The 23rd set determines your gender. Your mom can only donate an "X" chromosome, since she's female. So, it's really up to dad to determine your gender. You get the "Y" chromosome from dear old dad ... and you're his son. If he donates his "X", you're his daughter. For Genealogists, examining Y-DNA helps trace paternal relationships, but it would only be useful in the case of Nicholas. The test results were based on analysis of mitochondrial DNA, the genetic material passed down only from mothers to children. That DNA is more stable than nuclear DNA — the material inherited from the father’s side — especially when remains are badly damaged.

Slight clarification here. Nuclear DNA is inherited from the father and mother. 22 matching pairs of chromosomes are inherited by all offspring, half of each set from the mother, the other half donated by the father. The 23rd set determines your gender. Your mom can only donate an “X” chromosome, since she’s female. So, it’s really up to dad to determine your gender. You get the “Y” chromosome from dear old dad … and you’re his son. If he donates his “X”, you’re his daughter. For Genealogists, examining Y-DNA helps trace paternal relationships, but it would only be useful in the case of Nicholas.

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