It might seem like the perfect birthday present – a DNA test you can do at home to find out a bit more about where you come from.
More than 26 million people have done tests with the leading companies worldwide. But as the database gets bigger – so does the number of surprises thrown up. Secrets that once went to the grave, are now being revealed years later.
In the first of our series looking at DNA , we hear from people for whom a simple test has revealed more than they bargained for.
This film was made by Fran Robertson.