MyTrueAncestry:Walkthrough and Review: Part 6b: Results: Maps

Maps/Globes

This section used to be called "Maps." Then they introduced virtual globes to it.

Upon entering this section of their website, which corresponds to a certain DNA kit, a virtual, "Ancestral Globe appears, under eleven tabs:

1. Ancestral Globe
   
2. European Timelapse
   
3. Asia
4. Africa
5. Americas
6. Premium Europe
7. Premium Asia
8. Archaeological Europe
9. Archaeological Asia
10. Deep Dive Europe
11. Deep Dive Asia
    

        1.  Ancestral Globe
 

The Ancestral Globe has eight controls:

1. Filter Matches Button at top, left
   
2. Time Period Sliders at top, right
   
3. Number of Matches Shown Slider across the top
   
4. Period Selector, near upper left corner
   
5. Vertical Slider
   
6. Horizontal Slider
   
7. Zoom In Button
   
8. Zoom Out Button 

Clicking on the Filter Matches Button cycles through three options:

1. Show All Matches
2. Filter Deep Dive
3. Filter Sample Matches

The Time Period Sliders can be clicked and dragged from either end, to select any period of time between the default start and end times (10,000 B.C. to 2021 A.D.) (Yes, they still use "B.C." and "A.D.")

The Number of Matches Shown Slider can only be clicked and dragged from the right end, to adjust it from 250 down to zero.

 

Clicking on the Period Selector causes it to cycle through seven periods:

1. all periods
2. Neolithic
3. Bronze
4. Late Bronze
5. Iron Age
6. Early Medieval
7. Medieval

Manipulating any of the above controls causes the corresponding matches to plotted on the globe almost immediately. The other controls can be used to move to and zoom in on any area of interest on the virtual globe. Clicking and dragging the map works to move a point of interest to a different place on the viewer, and scrolling with the mouse wheel zooms in and out. Overall, I find the controls very responsive and intuitive.

 

Out of curiosity, I tried to determine how MyTrueAncestry defines the six ages named above, by selecting them, and seeing about how early or recent the samples seemed to be.

The only Neolithic sample shown as a match for my D.N.A., is Cheddar Man, circa 7150 B.C.

There are numerous Bronze Age matches for my D.N.A., which seem to be circa 2,000 B.C.

There seem to be less Bronze Age matches for my D.N.A., which seem to be circa 1,500 B.C.

 

The Iron Age matches for my D.N.A. seem to be circa 500 B.C. and 500 A.D.

The Iron Age matches for my D.N.A. seem to be between 500 B.C. and 500 A.D.

 

The Early Medieval matches for my D.N.A. seem to be between 500 and 1,000 A.D.

 

The Medieval matches for my D.N.A. seem to be between 975 and 1,500 A.D.

 

By using the Time Period Sliders, I am able to see that the most recent match to my D.N.A. on MyTrueAncestry is Louis XVI (1754-1793). According to MyTrueAncestry, we share 141 S.N.P.s.**

 

         2.  Europe Timelapse

This map of Europe has an arrow on each side. Clicking these arrows cycles back and forth through the ages, plotting matches accordingly.

 

There are three sliders below the map:

1. Samples [number]
   
2. From [year]
   
3. Until [year]

Below the sliders is an "Update" button. After using the sliders to determine how many samples from which period of time are to be displayed, I can click the "Update" button to generate a new map of Europe accordingly. However, it doesn't work. As of 5:30 p.m. E.D.T., May 22, 2022, if I select ten samples between 23 A.D. and 1014 A.D., I get more than ten samples, including at least one sample from 2170 B.C.

        3.  Asia

Asia shows me a blanck map. Apparently, none of my ancient D.N.A. matches were from Asia.

        4.  Africa

...Or Africa.

 

        5.  Americas

I have several matches plotted on the map of North America, in  New England and Greenland, but they are Caucasoids - Vikings and Colonists. 

 

Outlines of modern countries are drawn on these maps, but no place names are displayed unless I click on a dot representing a match, in which case, if I'm lucky, a window will pop up with information about the match which will indicate a geographic location, such as "St. Mary's Coffin Maryland."

 

        6.  Premium Europe
 

This map is unremarkably similar to the European Timelapse map.

 

        7.  Premium Asia

This is another blank map, with regard to my D.N.A. 

 

        8.  Archaeological Europe

 
This map is has lines drawn from textual blurbs to archaeological sites plotted on a map of Europe, but I still find it hard to read, and rather unimpressive.

 

        9.  Archaeological Asia

 

This is another blank map, with regard to my D.N.A.

 

       10.  Deep Dive Europe

 

This map is has lines drawn from textual blurbs to archaeological sites plotted on a map of Europe, but I still find it hard to read, and rather unimpressive.

 

       11.  Deep Dive Asia

 
This is another blank map, with regard to my D.N.A.

 

The only map I enjoy looking at on MyTrueAncestry is the Ancestral Globe. This is the only one that seems to really let me take a good look at matching D.N.A. samples from certain times and places, and zoom in or pop windows up to read the text.

 

Next, I discuss Regional Archaeogenetics.

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*To get to Results, login to MyTrueAncestry. See a page with their logo (see above) near the upper, left corner, and a row of six tabs across the top:

1. Results
2. Civilizations
3. Populations
4. Royalty
5. DNA Testing
6. FAQ

To get to "Analysis Summary"...

1. Analysis Summary
2. Maps
3. Regional Archaeogenetics
4. Haplogroup Analytics
5. DNA Spotlight
6. Timelines
7. PCA Plots
8. Genetic Social Groups
9. Additional Features

**single nucleotide polymorphism ("snip") A DNA sequence variation that occurs when a single nucleotide (adenine, thymine, cytosine, or guanine) in the genome sequence is altered and the particular alteration is present in at least 1% of the population.--cancer.gov 

Blog post by William Mortensen Vaughan