Genetic ancestry sites and personal DNA profiles have never been more popular, but the type of continental ancestry categorization that they yield proves problematic when used as a variable in scientific research.

"An individual researcher's use of continental ancestry categories is not in and of itself racist, but the cumulative impact of this practice has led to and sustains racism," say Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics’ Research Associate, Anna Lewis, and Director, Danielle Allen.

In their article, published today in Science, they and their co-authors outline the problem and propose a move toward a multidimensional, continuous view of genetic ancestry as a remedy. Read their full article, "Getting Genetic Ancestry Right for Science and Society," here.