DNA Testing Solves Thousand-Year-Old King Tut Parentage Mystery
Did you know that DNA testing can solve the mystery of a person’s parentage as well as tell the maternal lineage and the paternal lineage? A few years ago, scientists solved the mystery of King Tut’s parentage using a series of DNA tests. DNA was taken from several different mummies including Tutankhamen; only three of the mummies were known for certain. DNA samples were taken from five of the royal mummies dating back to the 1550-1479 B.C. Yes, before Christ! Through a series of reconstructive DNA testing we now know who King Tut’s maternal lineage, as well as his paternal lineage, and is now able to identify Tiye, mother of the Pharoh Akhenaten and grandmother of King Tut. It is amazing that after thousands of years, DNA could be taken from deceased, embalmed, mummies that were thousands of years old and used to establish biological relationships as was the case of King Tut.
If DNA can be taken from samples thousands of years old, think what it can do in cases where a person is alive or recently deceased. Even when you think your situation is hopeless, it might very well not be there’s always Forensic DNA Testing. DNA samples are quite often saved in the form of blood cards, forensic tissue, etc., by many medical examiners. A simple request made by a deceased’s next of kin to the medical examiner’s office will get forensic samples from their loved ones released to our labs; and with the collection of a controlled sample (the child, other relative, another deceased, etc.) used to establish the biological relationship. Results from these testing may be used for many different purposes such as Social Security benefits, child support, immigration, etc., among other reasons.
Establishing paternity, maternity, or some other biological relationship has become quite commonplace. A simple telephone call to make the request and schedule an appointment, and a few days later and you will have your questions answered conclusively. Our labs test twice for accuracy; and can tell decisively whether an alleged father is included usually to the degree of 99.99% or excluded 100%. So, don’t worry, get tested!
