CLOSER THAN YOU THOUGHT: Researchers found that the genetic ties among friends went above and beyond what would be expected among people of shared ancestry.
WASHINGTON: People tend to choose friends that are genetically similar to themselves, so much so that a person's social circle could be made up of their fourth cousins, scientists said Monday.
The research is based on the Framingham Heart Study in the northeastern US state of Massachusetts, which contains both extensive genetic detail — 1.5 million markers — and information about friends and connections.
