There are more and more ties between genealogy and the sciences with new tools becoming available at an amazing pace. This page will focus on science categories that tie into genealogy.
Artificial Intelligence Resources
Platforms:
Unless you use AI extensively, my recommendation is to stay with the free versions.
ChatGPT – free and pay
Claude – free and pay
Gemini – free and pay
Genspark – currently free
Grok – free and pay
Microsoft Copilot
Perplexity – free and pay; it cites sources
Audio/Video/Image Creation:
Adobe Firefly – free and pay
Canva – free and pay
DALL-E – free and pay
Descript – free and paid tiers
MyHeritage – free for a limited number of images, then subscription required
Otter – basic (free) and paid tiers
Runway – free and paid tiers
11 Labs – free and pay
Written Word:
FamilySearch – If the document or image is on FamilySearch, full-text search will bring up the image with a transcription appearing on the right side of the screen. There are many mistakes, so the quality varies, but correcting the transcription is faster than transcribing by hand, per my own experience.
NotebookLM – free and pay
Transkribus – free and paid tiers
Websites:
Genea-Musings by Randy Seaver – Randy has created a lengthy compendium of AI-related posts, by far the most learning resources of anyone interested in AI and genealogy.
Vibe Genealogy by Steve Little
Videos:
Beginning with AI Genealogy: Getting Started with Generative Artificial Intelligence in 2025 by Steve Little at RootsTech
How I Use AI for Genealogy (after 1,000 hours) by Denyse Allen
Getting Started: The Free AI Tools I Use for Genealogy Research by Lisa Lisson
You CAN Use ChatGPT for Genealogy (with Accuracy)! Here’s How by Amy Johnson Crow
Increasing Genealogy Productivity with Artificial Intelligence by Nicole Elder on Family Locket
The Strategy of Using AI for Genealogical Research by James L. Tanner for BYU Library Family History
How to Talk to Your AI Chatbot About Genealogy by James Tanner for BYU Library Family History
Books that discuss AI, its development and its future:
Barrat, James, Artificial Intelligence and the End of the Human Era: Our Final Invention, Thomas Dunne Books, 2013
Brockman, John, editor, Possible Minds: 25 Ways of Looking t AI, Penguin Books, 2020
Mollick, Ethan, Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI, Penguin Books, 2024
Genetic Genealogy
Websites:
Beginners Guide to Genetic Genealogy
DNA Adoption – a great website even if adoption isn’t your focus
Blogs:
DNAeXplained – Genetic Genealogy – Roberta Estes’s site is packed with informational resources
Genetic Genealogy – Kitty Cooper’s blog
The Genetic Genealogist – Blaine Bettinger’s site
The Legal Genealogist – Judy G. Russell frequently writes about DNA topics
Your Genetic Genealogist – CeCe Moore
Professional Organizations:
International Society of Genetic Genealogy
International Society of Genetic Genealogy Wiki
Companies Selling DNA Tests:
Ancestry
FamilyTree DNA
Living DNA
My Heritage
23 and Me
Tools for Analyzing DNA Test Results:
DNA Painter and WATO – What Are the Odds?
DNAGedcom
Family Tree Analyzer
GEDmatch
Ancestry’s ProTools – US$9.99 per month, but users can subscribe for a single month. The Enhanced Shared Matches is the feature drawing in DNA users. Note that yo must have a current subscription to Ancestry in order to subscribe to/use ProTools.
Online Learning:
YouTube – 9,200+ hits came up for “genetic genealogy”
Reference Library:
Genetic Genealogy: The Basics and Beyond by Emily D. Aulicino
Genetic Genealogy in Practice – by Blaine Bettinger and Debbie Parker