A DNA Dilemma

Nancy Bovy has sent me another great item. Either Raymon Miller or his twin brother Richard Miller is the father of a 3-year-old girl. But there is no scientific way of knowing which one planted the seed.

The identical Missouri twins say they were unknowingly having sex with the same woman. And according to the woman's testimony, she had sex with each man on the same day. Within hours of each other.

When the woman in question, Holly Marie Adams, got pregnant, she named Raymon the father, but he contested and demanded a paternity test, bringing his own brother Richard to court. [Link]

Since identical twins are genetically indistinguishable, a DNA test can't rule out either brother. Whichever brother is saddled with child support can argue that he isn't the father. (This is also a good way to beat a murder rap on Law & Order.)

Those Confusing Smiths

Enrolled at Consett Community Sports College in the UK are a set of identical twins, a set of identical triplets, and a set of quadruplets. All are named Smith.

The 750-student college has another six pupils with the surname Smith, plus two teachers and two classroom assistants.

To ensure the triplets get the right coursework and marks, teachers have taken to sitting them in different parts of the classroom.

Maths teacher Allan McArdle said: "It can be confusing but the nice thing is that all of them are lovely." [Link]

Favoritism is Genetic

From AScribe Newswire:

Genes Contribute to Patriotism, Group Loyalty

LONDON, Ontario, Nov. 14 (AScribe Newswire) -- Research showing the importance of genetic similarity to group loyalty and patriotism was published in the October issue of Nations and Nationalism (Vol. 11, pp. 489-507; an academic journal from the London School of Economics).

[snip]

For example, identical twins grieve more for their co-twin than do non-identical twins. And, family members grieve more for children who resemble their side of the family than they do their spouse's side.

Also, spouses who are more genetically similar have longer and more satisfying marriages.

Based on their DNA, two randomly chosen individuals from the same ethnic group are found to be as related as first cousins.

Thus, two random people of English ancestry are the equivalent of a 3/8 cousin compared to people from the Near East; a 1/2 cousin by comparison with people from India; and like full cousins by comparison with people from China.

[snip]

[Read the whole story]

Lonely in Your Genes?

From Newswise, posted Nov. 10, 2005:

Heredity May Be the Reason Some People Feel Lonely

Newswise — Heredity helps determine why some adults are persistently lonely, research co-authored by psychologists at the University of Chicago shows.

Working with colleagues in The Netherlands, the scholars found about 50 percent of identical twins and 25 percent of fraternal twins shared similar characteristics of loneliness. Research on twins is a powerful method to study the impact of heredity because twins raised together share many of the same environmental influences as well as similar genes, thus making it easier to determine the role of genetics in development.

[snip]

Psychologists had previously thought loneliness was primarily caused by shyness, poor social skills, or inability to form strong attachments with other people.

[snip]

[Read the whole story]