frogdreaming, I would have to disagree with your contention that age is not genetic in basis. Any number of studies relate the aging mechanism with factors such as telomere length. Here is an example:
Benetos A, Okuda K, Lajemi M, Kimura M, Thomas F, Skurnick J, Labat C, Bean K, Aviv A. Telomere length as an indicator of biological aging: The gender effect and relation with pulse pressure and pulse wave velocity. Hypertension. 2001 Feb;37(2):381-5.
Center "Investigations Preventives et Cliniques" (IPC), INSERM U337, Paris, France. benetos@ipc.asso.fr
Chronological age is the primary determinant of stiffness of central arteries. Increased stiffness is an independent indicator of cardiovascular risk. The aim of this study was to determine whether telomere length, a possible index of biological aging, provides a better account than chronological age for variation in arterial stiffness, evaluated by measuring pulse pressure and aortic pulse wave velocity. The study population included 193 French subjects (120 men, 73 women), with a mean age of 56+/-11 years, who were not on any antihypertensive medications. Telomere length was evaluated in white blood cells by measuring the mean length of the terminal restriction fragments. Age-adjusted telomere length was longer in women than in men (8.67+/-0.09 versus 8.37+/-0.07 kb; P:=0.016). In both genders, telomere length was inversely correlated with age (P:<0.01). Multivariate analysis showed that in men, but not in women, telomere length significantly contributed to pulse pressure and pulse wave velocity variations. In conclusion, telomere length provides an additional account to chronological age of variations in both pulse pressure and pulse wave velocity among men, such that men with shorter telomere length are more likely to exhibit high pulse pressure and pulse wave velocity, which are indices of large artery stiffness. The longer telomere length in women suggests that for a given chronological age, biological aging of men is more advanced than that of women.
What is an "acceptable level of accuracy" for such a test? In the final analysis does it contribute useful information to law enforcement personnel that enables them to narrow a search within a suspect pool. I still think that Retinome-HA (or whatever the hair color test is eventually termed) will provide an accurate assessment of natural hair color and that this information (with or without qualifiers) will be potentially useful in a significant number of cases. Let's not forget that Retinome-HA will also be used as just one constituent of the DNA Witness product suite. Could all of the traits tested for be inaccurate and the police be led up a blind alley? Theoretically I suppose you have to say that this is possible unless the tests are 100% accurate, but the ancestry test seems to be working OK in practice so far.
Not having yet seen the popular science article I cannot comment on it, but I seem to remember the company recently saying that the accuracy of Retinome had been improved and that the product was due to be launched.
