Editing DNA (section)

=== History and anthropology ===
{{further|Phylogenetics|Genetic genealogy}}
Because DNA collects mutations over time, which are then inherited, it contains historical information, and, by comparing DNA sequences, geneticists can infer the evolutionary history of organisms, their [[Phylogenetics|phylogeny]].<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Wray GA | title = Dating branches on the tree of life using DNA | journal = Genome Biology | volume = 3 | issue = 1 | pages = REVIEWS0001 | year = 2002 | pmid = 11806830 | pmc = 150454 | doi = 10.1186/gb-2001-3-1-reviews0001 | doi-access = free }}</ref> This field of phylogenetics is a powerful tool in [[evolutionary biology]]. If DNA sequences within a species are compared, [[population genetics|population geneticists]] can learn the history of particular populations. This can be used in studies ranging from [[ecological genetics]] to [[anthropology]].