A new study of the offspring of Union soldiers adds to a growing body of evidence that suggests traumatic events experienced by one generation can have profound effects on the next. This all concerns the growing field of epigenetics, the ability for our DNA to be affected by and interact with the environment. The study, based on an analysis of National Archives records of Civil War prisoners of war and their families, turned up stories of surviving captivity in the notorious Andersonville prison in Georgia, where crowding, starvation, and poor sanitation were rampant. To see how these conditions affected or did not affect POWs and their offspring, click here.
For the full study, click here.
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