In humans, the ability to bend the thumb back beyond vertical is called hitchhiker's thumb and is dominant to the inability to do so (OMIM 274200). Also, the presence of attached earlobes is recessive to unattached earlobes (OMIM 128900).
Using all available and willing members of your family, or members of another family if yours is not easily accessible, trace the transmission of both traits in a pedigree. Use allelic symbols H and h for the thumb and E and e for earlobes, and identify the genotypes for each family member as completely as possible. Bring the pedigree back to share with your group.

For a number of human hereditary conditions, genetic testing is available to identify heterozygous carriers. Some heterozygous carrier testing programs are community-based, often as part of an organized effort targeting specific populations in which a disease and carriers of a disease are relatively frequent. For example, carrier genetic testing programs for Tay–Sachs disease target Ashkenazi Jewish populations and sickle cell disease carrier testing programs target African American populations. The testing is usually free or available at minimal cost, the wait time for results is short, and the results are confidential and unavailable to third parties such as insurance companies. Neither the Tay–Sachs nor the sickle cell allele produces serious consequences for heterozygous carriers.

In a broader sense, what is the value of a community-based effort targeting specific populations for selected diseases?

For a number of human hereditary conditions, genetic testing is available to identify heterozygous carriers. Some heterozygous carrier testing programs are community-based, often as part of an organized effort targeting specific populations in which a disease and carriers of a disease are relatively frequent. For example, carrier genetic testing programs for Tay–Sachs disease target Ashkenazi Jewish populations and sickle cell disease carrier testing programs target African American populations. The testing is usually free or available at minimal cost, the wait time for results is short, and the results are confidential and unavailable to third parties such as insurance companies. Neither the Tay–Sachs nor the sickle cell allele produces serious consequences for heterozygous carriers.

Do you personally think you would participate in the kind of carrier genetic testing described if you were a member of a population targeted for such testing?

In humans, the ability to bend the thumb back beyond vertical is called hitchhiker's thumb and is dominant to the inability to do so (OMIM 274200). Also, the presence of attached earlobes is recessive to unattached earlobes (OMIM 128900).

Check your own phenotype and those of several friends or classmates.