Out of the 8 billion people in this world (as of 2024), everyone is completely different and unique in their own way. Each person possesses a unique personality, viewpoint, and a collection of experiences that makes them special. Additionally, whether someone is short, has green eyes, black hair, or is blood type AB– the mixture of your biologically inherited genes and environmental factors creates individuality, and these characteristics are what distinguishes you from every other person.
However, all humans are 99.9% identical to each other... genetically.
Just picture yourself in a crowded street full of total strangers from all walks of life (just like the fascinating photo of New York by Pelle Cass shown above). You might see differences in skin colour, eye shape, height, fashion... it’s endless. But surprisingly enough, under all those disparities, we’re actually more or less genetic clones!
In this article, I will give you a quick overview of how this works.
First of all, what’s the difference between DNA and genes? DNA is known as the deoxyribonucleic acid mainly located in the cell nucleus of nearly all living organisms. This molecule stores all the genetic information an organism needs in order to develop, survive, and reproduce. DNA is crucial for maintaining your human structure. Genes, in the other hand, are a section of the DNA sequence that gives you your unique characteristics.
The human body contains a total of 3 billion base pairs that ultimately makes us who we are. Of those 3 billion, the majority (99.9%) of your genome are the same in all humans. Yes, you are technically 99.9% genetically identical to your worst enemy and your favourite idol.
These are a few shocking statistics. According to various studies, the genetic similarity between humans and a:
- Chimpanzee= 96%
- Mouse= 85%
- Fruit fly= 61%
- Banana= 60% !!
Hence, this shows how most of your DNA ensures that you are a living organism. All living things share many biological functions, such as respiration, growth, and other cellular processes. Over millions of years of evolution, our genetic makeup has been moulded by natural selection, genetic variation, and other evolutionary changes. These essential genetic codes have then been conserved throughout evolution for survival and reproduction.Furthermore, the 99.9% is what makes humans a well-functioning human being. We all need a face, circulatory system, limbs, and a brain with high intelligence- don’t we?
Now, what about the remaining 0.1%? This tiny fraction is where all the magic happens: ensuring that you are different from me, and that we aren’t just human clones walking on Earth. While 0.1% may seem small, it translates to a staggering 3 million base pairs. Within this sequence lies the genes responsible for our physical appearance, athletic abilities, risk of certain diseases, and more. As genes are passed down from our parents, new mutations can arise and the errors in the DNA copying process introduces further diversity.
In the future, as biologists gain more knowledge on the genetic and environmental factors shaping human differences, we will see major benefits in medicine. With a better understanding of individual susceptibilities to diseases, doctors can predict the disease and personalise treatments in advance. But amidst these advancements, let’s not overlook the beauty of everyone’s unique differences that is shaped by the mix of our genes and life experiences. It’s fascinating how we’re so genetically similar, yet incredibly diverse from everyone around us!
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