Sometimes, records and oral histories aren't enough. Every genealogist smacks into brick walls, feels the chill of a paper trail gone cold, frustratingly fails to prove family fables of famous lineages. Many of us wonder about cousins out there we haven't yet encountered, and may never get to. But these traditional roadblocks don't have to bring your research to a standstill anymore. Family history researchers everywhere are exploring a new frontier that's brimming with answers: genetic genealogy.

By examining genes, scientists can tell whether one person shares an ancestor with another, about how long ago that common ancestor lived, and even where his ancient homeland is. "DNA is a record of who we are and how we're related to each other," says Scott Woodward, who heads the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation (SMGF) <www.smgf.org>. "DNA can identify an individual, link him to a family and identify extended family groups." Its accuracy in determining family relationships is unparalleled, and researchers are building global genetic-genealogy databases as you read this.

This hot new genealogical realm even has a cute name: Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak, co-author of Trace Your Roots With DNA (Rodale), coined the term genetealogy. Her Web site of the same name <www.genetealogy.com> is a must-visit for newbies, with articles and links to testing companies, results databases, surname projects and discussion forums. "The Internet was the first revolution in genealogy, and DNA is the second," Smolenyak says. "Both make it faster and easier to find distant cousins, and genetealogy allows you to peer deeply into the past. Plus, it's amazingly effective in steering your research in the right direction and telling you which paths to avoid. Used properly, it can shave years off traditional research efforts."