Scientific Disclaimer
The Agentic Ancestry Scan produces phenotype-based ancestry inference — statistical probabilities derived from documented correlations between physical traits and ancestral population origins. Results are educational and exploratory. fotosíntesis is not a genetic ancestry test and results should not be used for medical, legal, immigration, or identity documentation purposes.
1. What fotosíntesis Produces
fotosíntesis generates phenotype-based ancestry estimates — not genetic analysis. The Agentic Ancestry Scan (AAS) measures visible physical traits (facial landmarks, body proportions, self-reported phenotype characteristics) and correlates them against documented population distributions from physical anthropology research.
The output — your Master Ancestry Score (MAS) — is a probability distribution: a set of percentages expressing the statistical likelihood that your physical traits originated from various world regions and ancestral populations.
"Every physical feature is an adaptation — a record of where your ancestors lived, what climate they survived, and what selective pressures shaped them over millennia."
This is the science fotosíntesis applies. The AAS translates two centuries of documented physical anthropology into a real-time, mobile-scale ancestry analysis tool.
2. What the AAS Measures
AAS Layer 1 — Face Scan
Using Apple's ARKit TrueDepth camera, the AAS maps 38 facial landmarks in three-dimensional space. Key measurements include:
- Nasal index (width-to-height ratio of the nasal aperture — Thomson's Nasal Rule, 1923)
- Orbital breadth (intercanthal distance — documented in Gray's Anatomy skeletal chapters)
- Zygomatic arch width (cheekbone prominence and width)
- Lip structure (labial index and vermilion height)
- Brow ridge prominence (supraorbital ridge projection)
- Facial index (facial height-to-width ratio)
- 22 additional documented cranial and facial measurements
AAS Layer 2 — Body Scan
Six guided body photographs capture morphological signals that correlate with climate-adapted ancestry patterns:
- Shoulder-to-hip ratio (Bergmann's Rule application)
- Limb proportions (Allen's Rule: limb-to-trunk ratio and cold/heat adaptation)
- Skin tone on unexposed skin (Gloger's Rule: UV-correlated melanin distribution)
- Body mass distribution, spinal curvature, and leg alignment
AAS Layer 3 — Phenotype Survey
40 targeted questions capture Mendelian and climate-adaptive traits with known population distributions, including:
- Hair texture and natural pattern (coil, wave, straight)
- Fitzpatrick skin type (I–VI)
- Eye shape and epicanthal fold presence
- Widow's peak, hairline shape
- Ear lobe attachment (attached/free — Mendelian inheritance)
- Bow-leggedness, foot arch type
- Dental traits (shovel-shaped incisors — East Asian ancestry marker)
3. Confidence Levels
The AAS generates a confidence percentage for each ancestry result. Confidence reflects the statistical robustness of the signal input, not a guarantee of accuracy:
| AAS Layers Completed | Typical Confidence | Signal Quality |
|---|---|---|
| Face Scan only | ~62% | Baseline estimate |
| Face Scan + Body Scan | ~78% | Expanded phenotype signal |
| Face + Body + Full Survey | ~93% | Maximum available signal |
Confidence values represent the AAS's internal statistical certainty, not an external validation benchmark. Individual results may vary based on scan quality, lighting conditions, survey completeness, and the inherent complexity of multi-generational ancestry.
Even at 93% confidence, results are statistical estimates. All ancestry results should be treated as exploratory and educational — not as definitive statements of genetic heritage.
4. What fotosíntesis Is Not
fotosíntesis is not any of the following:
- A genetic ancestry test — fotosíntesis does not analyze DNA, chromosomes, SNPs, haplogroups, or any biological material at the molecular level.
- A medical diagnostic tool — AAS results should not be used to diagnose, treat, or predict any medical condition, genetic disease, or health risk.
- A legal identity document — AAS results cannot be used as evidence of racial, ethnic, or national identity in any legal proceeding.
- A tribal enrollment tool — AAS results are not valid for Native American tribal membership, Indigenous status, or any government-recognized ancestry certification.
- An immigration document — AAS results have no validity for visa applications, citizenship claims, asylum applications, or any immigration purpose.
- A substitute for official records — AAS results do not replace birth certificates, genealogical records, or government-issued identity documents.
5. Scientific Basis and Citations
The AAS methodology draws from the following established bodies of scientific literature:
6. Factors That Can Affect Results
The following factors can reduce AAS accuracy and should be considered when interpreting results:
- Multi-generational admixture: If your recent ancestry includes significant mixing of populations from different world regions, phenotype signals may reflect a blend that the AAS interprets as moderate confidence across multiple regions.
- Scan quality: Poor lighting, obstructions (glasses, makeup, beard), motion blur, or non-standard angles reduce facial landmark accuracy.
- Individual variation: Some individuals carry physical traits that diverge significantly from population averages due to rare genetic variation, mutation, or drift — independently of their actual ancestry.
- Survey accuracy: The AAS Survey relies on honest, accurate self-reporting. Inaccurate responses reduce confidence.
- Known AAS limitations: The AAS performs best with high-contrast, well-lit facial imagery and clear body scan photos. It may under-represent South and Southeast Asian population signals, which have more phenotypic overlap with multiple world regions.
7. What fotosíntesis Offers That DNA Tests Cannot
While fotosíntesis is not a substitute for genetic testing, it provides a form of ancestry information that DNA tests fundamentally cannot:
DNA tests read your genome — the biological sequence inherited from both parents. Your phenotype is the visible expression of that genome, shaped by thousands of generations of climate adaptation, selective pressure, and migration.
Many people's phenotype diverges meaningfully from their genome ancestry estimate because phenotype reflects your deep ancestral lineage — the populations who shaped your body's physical adaptations over millennia — while DNA reflects recent genealogical inheritance over hundreds of years.
fotosíntesis reads the visible layer. The story your body tells. The one no cotton swab can capture.
8. For Certified Genetic Analysis
If you require a certified genetic ancestry test for legal, medical, or documentation purposes, please consult a licensed genomics laboratory. Some options include:
- AncestryDNA (ancestry.com/dna)
- 23andMe (23andme.com)
- MyHeritage DNA (myheritage.com/dna)
- A licensed genetic counselor (nsgc.org for NSGC-certified professionals)
These services provide legally defensible genetic ancestry analysis based on DNA sequencing. fotosíntesis is a phenotype-based complement to, not a replacement for, these services.
9. Contact for Scientific Questions
For questions about the AAS methodology, scientific citations, or specific result interpretation:
- Science Inquiries: info@agenticancestry.com
- Company: WareActics Corporation, Irvine, California, USA