Technological developments are making it possible to read a person’s entire genetic code, or genome, more rapidly and at a lower cost than ever before. Personal genome sequencing is allowing scientists and doctors to better understand the connections between genes and human health, improve medical care, help extend people’s lives, and provide information about our shared human ancestry. This lesson is an introduction to some of these concepts and sets the stage for students to delve more deeply into many of the topics related to genetics and society.