Watch This: Why You Should Test Your DNA

Using DNA to trace your ancestry can satisfy curiosity (Henry Louis Gates Jr. was surprised to find out he was half white, for example), but in a recent interview with Sanjay Gupta Jr., Gates — The Root's editor-in-chief and host of PBS's Finding Your Roots series — talks about what else it can do.

Listen to their chat about the medical significance of DNA testing, the establishment of a database that scientists are using to explore the link between genes and risk of disease, and why a company that can assess ancestry and reveal genetic propensity for certain diseases wants African Americans to get their DNA tested.

Read more at CNN.