Testing facilities can use blood, hair, and other fluids to determine DNA. But a simple cheek swab does the same work without any pain or discomfort. DNA testing facilities often send out sterile swabs in their kits to perform this straightforward procedure and sometimes send extras for backup.
Despite what you see on TV, DNA test results do not come back within 24 hours. But if TV shows got bogged down in realism, they wouldn’t be as fun to watch. For criminal cases, complete and thorough DNA profiles take 4 to 6 weeks to come back from the lab.
Figuring out if you’re distantly related to someone else doesn’t mean you have to find your great-grandfather’s remains. For this, we have Y-DNA testing that can only be conducted on men because they have a Y chromosome. Because it is passed unchanged from father to son, you can test two males (a direct family member if you’re a female) to determine your connection.
Many people fear the possibility that the government might know too much about their family, and a DNA test might allow them access to their loved ones. Though technology is abundant, so are security measures and laws put into place to protect your privacy.