All articles tagged with #dna testing
Two British twins, Michelle and Lavinia Osbourne, learned via Ancestry DNA testing that they have different biological fathers—a phenomenon called heteropaternal superfecundation that is extremely rare, with only about 20 cases documented worldwide and none previously in British history; the sisters say the discovery doesn’t alter their close bond as they continue to live in England.
60 Minutes investigates the booming, high-stakes world of elite racing pigeons, where prized birds can fetch millions and thieves—sometimes described as a “pigeon mafia”—target lofts across Belgium and beyond. The sport’s rise in prize money, especially in one-loft races, has driven a global market with auction houses like PIPA and giant Chinese demand. Security has intensified with cameras and laser barriers, while DNA testing and genetic databases are now used to identify stolen birds and recover some, including descendants of the famed Finn. Authorities have cracked several cases, convicting multiple suspects, but iconic birds remain missing as the thefts continue to ripple through the sport.
60 Minutes examines a global surge in elite racing-pigeon theft, detailing the $1.6 million-plus loss of a Belgian champion named Finn, the rise of an international 'pigeon mafia,' and how DNA testing and secure lofts are helping recover birds and convict criminals amid a high-stakes market that fuels massive online auctions.
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a motion with the Tennessee Supreme Court requesting post-conviction DNA testing in the 1994 kidnapping/murder case that left Tony Carruthers on death row. The petition argues that fingerprints at the crime scene do not match Carruthers or co-defendant James Montgomery and highlights an unidentified male DNA profile on a white blanket linked to the victims. Retrial evidence indicated a different suspect (Ronnie Irving) may be involved, and Montgomery later testified Carruthers was not involved. If the DNA testing could exonerate Carruthers or point to another suspect, it could lead to a stay of his May 21 execution date; the case has long been entangled with claims of inadequate legal representation and reliance on jailhouse informants.
Federal investigators are applying next-generation DNA analysis to evidence from Nancy Guthrie's Tucson home—including a hair sample—as the investigation into her February disappearance continues, with older CODIS checks not yielding a match and officials pursuing a potentially mixed-DNA profile.
Archaeologists in Maastricht say a grave found beneath St Peter and Paul Church could belong to the 17th‑century musketeer Charles de Batz de Castelmore d’Artagnan, with DNA testing planned against descendants; clues include a 1660 coin and a lead bullet, and a note that he was buried in consecrated ground under an altar, though confirmation is not yet certain.
Authorities in Pima County continue probing the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC's Savannah Guthrie, after she vanished from her Tucson home. Investigators are analyzing biological evidence and a glove found near the property with DNA testing, while no evidence has emerged that she was abducted across the U.S.-Mexico border. Police are seeking Jan. 1–Feb. 2 doorbell footage and have not ruled out an accomplice; a lead involving a 'purchase' tied to Sonora has been ruled out.
DNA found on a glove near Nancy Guthrie’s Tucson home was submitted to CODIS and produced no matches, while additional DNA at the residence remains under analysis. Guthrie’s family have been cleared as suspects, and the FBI has raised the reward to $100,000 for information. Investigators released new surveillance images and updated a suspect description as the search for Guthrie continues.
Ghana has temporarily halted its citizenship-by-ancestry program for the African diaspora to simplify the process after complaints about tight DNA-document deadlines, multiple steps, and high costs. Since 2016, more than 1,000 people (including Stevie Wonder) have obtained Ghanaian citizenship, but the one-week DNA deadline and fees (application $136; shortlisted candidates $2,280) have drawn criticism. The government will issue updated timelines and guidelines when ready, with no resumption date announced yet.
Genetic ancestry tests from companies like 23andMe and Ancestry.com often oversimplify or distort human history, relying on arbitrary reference populations and statistical approximations that do not accurately reflect individual lineage or the complex, interconnected nature of human migration and genetic diversity.
Fossils initially thought to be the youngest mammoth remains in Alaska were later identified through DNA testing as whale bones, revealing a case of mistaken identity and raising questions about how whale bones ended up far inland.
Julia Wandelt, who claimed to be Madeleine McCann, was found guilty of harassment against the McCann parents and sentenced to six months in prison, having already served her sentence. The court confirmed she is not Madeleine based on DNA tests, but she remains uncertain about her identity. Wandelt's actions included persistent contact and attempts to obtain DNA, causing distress to the McCann family.
An army veteran, Stephan Smerk, was arrested and pleaded guilty to a 1994 Virginia murder after DNA testing linked him to the crime scene, leading to his 70-year sentence.
DNA evidence indicates that the human remains found behind a vacant school in Philadelphia are those of missing woman Kada Scott, with authorities linking the remains to her case and arresting a suspect connected to her disappearance.
The names of 16 victims presumed dead in a Tennessee explosives plant explosion have been released, with identification efforts ongoing through DNA testing due to extensive damage. The cause of the blast at Accurate Energetic Systems remains under investigation, and the small community is mourning the loss.