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Using the mtDNA Discover™ Scientific Details Page

The Scientific Details page allows you to view advanced genetic data regarding your specific maternal or paternal lineage. It provides mathematical estimates of when your haplogroup first originated and the specific genetic mutations that define your place on the global phylogenetic tree.

The Scientific Details Page has two tabs: Age Estimate and Variants.

Age Estimate Tab

The Age Estimate tab displays the estimated  contains the following information:

Scientific Details main page - Age Estimate w numbers.png
  1. Toggles between the age estimation model and the genetic mutation list.
  2. Statistic - Displays the specific confidence intervals (CI) and the statistical mean for the age calculation.
  3. Years Before Present - Shows the estimated timeframe of origin calculated in years prior to the current era.
    • NOTE: Scientific convention lists "The present" as 1950 CE, which is around the time radiocarbon dating was discovered.
  4. Calendar Date - Estimates the historical calendar year range when the common ancestor lived.
    • NOTE: Common Era (CE) and Before Common Era (BCE) are roughly synonymous with AD and BC, respectively. 

What is a Confidence Interval (CI)?

This refers to the percentage of testers in our databasewho share a SNP of a given age range. Since there may be matches who share a SNP outside this age range who have not yet tested, we cannot be 100% certain that this is the definitive age range, so we list the highest CI as 99%. The graph is broken down into three color-coded sections, designated on the Legend to the right of the graph. These are distinct Confidence Intervals, or CI. 

You can see the 99% CI is the largest rangebecause it contains the most possible age estimates, including extreme outliers. 95% CI means that 95% of the testers in the database have that age range, and 68% CI means 68% of all testers have that age range. 68% is the most narrow age range, as it is the smallest subset of the database. If you are basing your research on the 68% CI, there is a 32% chance that your shared SNP is outside this age range. This increases the risk of inferring incorrect information.

For this reason we offer three levels of confidence intervals. Most genealogists recommend the 95% CI.

Variants Tab

The Variants tab contains the following information:

Scientific Details main page - Variants w numbers.png
  1. Age Estimate and Variants Tabs - Toggle between the age estimation model and the genetic mutation list.
  2. View More - Expands the introductory text to provide deeper scientific context regarding mutation rates and phylogenetic weighting.
  3. Placement - Identifies the specific branch position on the evolutionary tree where a mutation occurs.
  4. Name - Displays the RSRS value for the location
  5. Type - Specifies the category of genetic variation, such as a Single Nucleotide Polymorphism.
  6. Position (RSRS) - Indicates the exact location of the mutation relative to the Revised Sapiens Reference Sequence.
  7. Region - Notes the area of the genome where the mutation resides, such as the coding region.
  8. Ancestral - Identifies the original genetic letter present before the mutation occurred.
  9. Derived - Shows the new genetic letter that defines the mutated state.
  10. Weight - Identical SNPs can appear independently in multiple places throughout the mitochondrial haplotree. The more times a SNP appears throughout the tree lowers 
  11. Show Private Variants - Controls the visibility of personal mutations not shared by the broader haplogroup. If you wish to share your results but keep these mutations hidden, this toggle helps protect your privacy. 

Filtered Variants

The following variants were not considered for phylogenetic reconstruction and are therefore excluded from the tree:

  • SNP positions: 309, 310, 523, 524, 573, 574, 576, 3107, 16093, 16182, 16183
  • INDELs: 309.XC, 310-315d, T310d, 314-315d, 315.XC, 513-517d, C514d, 514.1C, 514.1GC, A515d, 515.1ACA, 516.1C, 516.1TC, 517-522d, 517.1TA, 518.1C, 518.1GC, C520d, 520.1CAC, 520.1C, 521.1TA, 521.1ACA, A521d, C522d, 571-573d, 573.XC, 574-576d, A574d, 960.XC, 965.XC, 3100-3106d, C3106d, 5899.XC, 16180-16182d, 16181-16182d, 16182-16184d, 16182.1C, 16182.1CC, 16183.1A, 16183-16184d, 16183.1T, 16184.1A, 16184.1T, T16187d, 16187.1TC, 16187.1C, 16189.1T, 16189.1A, 16192-16193d, 16193.XC, 16193.1T
  • Repeats: 502C, 524AC

 

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