The science and technology powering the AncestryDNA test, which helps people better understand themselves and where they come from, is always evolving. We are constantly seeking new and better ways to provide insights into your past and to help you uncover the stories and relationships that have come together to make you who you are. Read More
For several years now Ancestry has been publishing collections of records from the U.S. that have been “transcribed” using a method we call Entity Extraction. One example is the U.S. City Directory collection. A precursor to modern telephone books, city directories listed all of the inhabitants of a city, along with their address, occupation, and Read More
Today we announced that the matching portions of the AncestryDNA test results have been updated. The purpose of this post is to give you a little more detail around the science behind these improvements. Our previous DNA matching algorithms were based on the AncestryDNA database when it was populated by about half a million people. Read More
AncestryDNA recently released a feature to your DNA match results that we call Amount of Shared DNA. It allows you to see some scientific details behind your relationship with each of your matches. You now have access to this for each of your matches. See an example below. New DNA Matching Details In this example, Read More
This past year Ancestry employees launched an internal group, Ancestry Women in Technology (AWIT), which aims to promote our diverse culture where anybody can develop and thrive in a motivating and supportive environment. The AWIT group is focused on women but anyone is welcome to join us as we work to empower our employees. We Read More
Technology evolution is a very common and natural process throughout human history. Some people like it while some people are hesitant. Despite attitudes towards technology evolution, new technology will eventually come. That is how technology trends advance, that is how quality of life advances and that is how human civilization advances. As a technology Read More
One of the biggest shifts for me when I moved from a software engineer role into management was how to think like a manager. Things I never considered as an engineer were suddenly a top priority for me. For those experiencing a similar transition, I have identified two important considerations to help shape your mindset Read More
Recently Ancestry employees in San Francisco volunteered to help Genesys Works, a local nonprofit. Their mission is simple: to change the life trajectory of underprivileged high school students by enabling them to work in meaningful internships, at major corporations, during their senior year in high school. The organization has partnered with JPMorgan, Accenture, Salesforce, PG&E Read More
In the TV series “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” the magnetic containment field prevents contact of antimatter with normal matter in a warp core. If the field were to collapse or fall below 15% of its maximum integrity, the starship would be destroyed. This containment field was a very important safety system for starships (reference Wikia). Read More
Flag Day in the USA is just a couple of weeks away. Flags are used to represent different things (usually nations or states). While the things a nation’s flag stands for are more important than what flags in code represent, it’s easier to discuss how to use flags in code, so that’s what I’ll do Read More