How does DNA testing work?
DNA testing can be done for various different reasons – from establishing paternity to finding out about your ancestory and catching criminal suspects.
To carry out a DNA test, two biological samples need to be given that contains DNA, such as a hair or saliva.
The two samples are then decoded to see if there are any similarities between them.
It is easy to tell if DNA from two samples do not match.
But even if they do, it cannot be 100 per cent certain that they are the same.
But scientists point to the fact the chances of two unrelated people having identical DNA profiles is less than one in one billion.
What are paternity DNA tests?
Paternity tests use DNA profiling to work out whether two people can be biologically related as father and child.
This is because a child inherits half of their DNA profile from their mum and the other half from their dad.
Therefore the test tries to work out if a child has enough DNA that is the same as the man tested to establish if he is the father.
The DNA samples needed to complete the test usually comes in the form of saliva that is swabbed from the cheek.
What are ancestry DNA tests?
Ancestry DNA tests allow you to determine your ethnicity and origins using your unique genetic code.
After taking a swab of your DNA, genetic scientists then examine it and see if there are any other potential matches in order to trace your ancestry.
Ancestry DNA kits are now available to buy online, and only require you to take a small saliva sample and send it to the lab for analysis through the post.
Which celebrities have taken DNA tests?
A whole host of celebrities have taken DNA test for a range of different reasons.
In a very public paternity DNA test earlier this year, Jeremy McConnell demanded a test after his ex-girlfriend, actress Stephanie Davis gave birth to a baby boy.
The test, which was performed live on This Morning, then proved he was in fact the father of the child.
Former Spice Girl Mel B also forced her ex-Eddie Murphy to undergo a DNA test after he denied he was dad to her daughter Angel Iris.
Meanwhile others have taken ancestry DNA tests to see where their heritage lies.
It has revealed that Prince William will become Britain’s first king to have proven Indian ancestry.
While Olympic athlete Greg Rutherford admitted undergoing the test to work out his ancestry and how he could adapt his training regime to remain top of his game.
