DNA Project Frozen Out in Alaska

Another nifty NYT story about DNA, this one reporting that some Alaskan natives are rejecting a National Geographic Society project to create an atlas of historic human movement:

Billed as the “moon shot of anthropology,” the Genographic Projectintends to collect 100,000 indigenous DNA samples. But for four months,
the project has been on hold here as it scrambles to address questionsraised by a group that oversees research involving Alaska natives.

Atissue is whether scientists who need DNA from aboriginal populations tofashion a window on the past are underselling the risks to present-daydonors. Geographic origin stories told by DNA can clash with long-heldbeliefs, threatening a world view some indigenous leaders see as vitalto preserving their culture.

They argue that genetic ancestryinformation could also jeopardize land rights and other benefits thatare based on the notion that their people have lived in a place sincethe beginning of time.