Watch This: Why You Should Test Your DNA

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Using DNA to trace your ancestry can satisfy curiosity (Henry Louis Gates Jr. was surprised to find out he was half white, for example), but in a recent interview with Sanjay Gupta Jr., Gates — The Root's editor-in-chief and host of PBS's Finding Your Roots series — talks about what else it can do.

Listen to their chat about the medical significance of DNA testing, the establishment of a database that scientists are using to explore the link between genes and risk of disease, and why a company that can assess ancestry and reveal genetic propensity for certain diseases wants African Americans to get their DNA tested.

Read more at CNN.