Speculation, Faith, and Professional Advice: The Long Road to Modern Genetic Counseling

Human fascination with the mechanics of heredity—how traits are passed down from one generation to the next—goes back to ancient times. We have good empirical evidence that humans were breeding plants and animals for desired characteristics as early as 15,000 BCE, based on traces of agricultural products buried in sealed tombs. This is also supported by the genetic profile of man’s best friend. Thanks to modern genetic techniques, we know that the domesticated dog descended from wolves selected by their ancient owners for behavioral traits like herding, guarding, and hunting.