Our DNA is like a living history book. DNA can tell us about the remarkable journeys our ancestors took from distance places all over the world.
Probably one of the most fascinating things about our DNA is that each person’s genetic makeup is completely unique, but at the same time all humans share the same genetic traits. This literally makes us all family.
Learn more about your human family with these fun and interesting facts about DNA.
Scientists have discovered an “Adam and Eve” in our DNA
While this discovery is not undeniably linked to the Adam and Eve from the Bible, geneticists have discovered that all of us share DNA from an ancient man and woman who lived over 135,000 years ago. Read more on this discovery here.
Genetically, we are almost 100 percent the same
Before you judge another human being, remember that we are almost all the same. All humans have a DNA structure that is 99.9% similar, and we are only distinguished by 0.01% difference in our genetic structure. Learn more here.
We are born with deadly viruses in our blood
Eight percent of our genetic makeup is composed of old viruses that used to infect us. Thanks to our ancient ancestors building up an immunity to these sicknesses, we are born with immunity to these viruses so they can’t infect us. Here is more on the subject.
Bananas grow on our family tree
50 percent of our DNA is similar to bananas. That means we’re distantly related to fruit smoothies! You have to go back a long way to find a common ancestor between humans and bananas, but ultimately we have both emerged from the same family tree, the tree of life, and that is why we share common characteristics. Find out more.
You could stretch across the solar system
If uncoiled, the DNA in all the cells in your body would stretch 10 billion miles. It would form a straight line to Pluto…and back!
Your DNA is a super computer
This website plus every website on the internet PLUS every file on your computer PLUS every app on your phone and all of your contacts…. and all of your contacts, contacts could fit into only two gigabytes of DNA. How does that even make sense? Read here.
These scientific facts are important not only because they help us learn more about ourselves, but because they might make us more understanding of each other. Even though we’re all different, our genetics tell us that we are all literally brothers and sisters, and we should remember to treat each other as such.
