What You Need To Know.
For many of us, we were first introduced to the idea of DNA testing during the OJ Simpson Murder trial in 1995. Prior to that, the concept of DNA was too foreign and too complicated for most of us to properly understand. Even know, breaking down the science of DNA is fairly complicated, but what most of us know at this point is DNA can be absolutely crucial and is almost irrefutable evidence that can be directly linked to one person. We know that the possibility of two people sharing the same DNA is next to impossible, meaning DNA testing is a valuable tool which can be used in a number of facets of life. Information about DNA testing can help clear up any misgivings or misconceptions people have about what a valuable tool DNA testing is in today's society.

DNA is currently the most accurate way of determining parental lineage. It is frequently used in court cases where there is a question of paternity of a child. At conception, each parent contributes a unique genetic code to the baby, which is referred to as the genome. In order to determine if one individual is the child of another individual, a particular sequence of their genome is isolated and studied and compared to the other person's genome. If the same sequence occurs, it is determined to be a genetic match. Another form of DNA testing is called mitochondrial DNA testing.

This type of testing uses genetic material from inside the cellular matter rather than the nucleus of the cell, and can only determine maternity rather than paternity. While this may not be necessary to determine parentage, but can be vital in determining the identity of an unknown person or remains. When the question of paternity arises, DNA testing can assuage many assertions and questions about paternity by providing an absolute answer to families. It has become an extremely valuable resource to countless families who have wondered about the lineage and paternity of a particular child.

DNA testing used in court cases must follow a strict chain of custody to ensure the sample is not tampered with and that all DNA testing protocol is properly followed. In many legal cases, including questions of parentage, identity, or even placing a suspect at a crime scene, DNA testing is absolutely crucial to the outcome of the case. Reliable labs must be used, and the results must be irrefutable to the experts in order to be able to say with utmost certainty a particular DNA sequence belongs to a particular person. By perfecting the science of DNA testing to such a degree, the courts have in many cases been able to prove guilt or innocence beyond a reasonable doubt.

There is a lot about DNA testing which is still being discovered, but for now, it has become one of the most valuable resources to families and the courts in determining paternity, guilt or innocence, or even identity. It has gone from something which was far beyond the grasp of the average person to understand to something people have become familiar with and even rely on during uncertain times.