DNA similarities show us how different living things are related, helping us understand where we all come from. Here’s a breakdown of some key ideas in a simpler way:
What is Genetic Code?
All living creatures, from humans to plants, have a special code called DNA. This code is made up of tiny building blocks called nucleotides. There are four types: adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G).
In humans, there are about 3 billion pairs of these building blocks! This means that even though we seem different on the outside, we share a lot of important instructions for life with many other species.
Comparing DNA:
Scientists can look closely at the DNA of different animals and plants. When they do this, they find out how similar or different they are. For instance:
Finding Molecular Evidence:
The more similar two animals are, the more similar their DNA usually is too. Scientists can look at certain parts of DNA to see how many differences there are. For example, they found that in humans, about 1 out of every 1,000 building blocks of DNA is different compared to chimpanzees.
By studying DNA, scientists can see how all living things are connected through common ancestors. This helps explain how different species have changed over millions of years but still share roots in our family tree of life.
DNA similarities show us how different living things are related, helping us understand where we all come from. Here’s a breakdown of some key ideas in a simpler way:
What is Genetic Code?
All living creatures, from humans to plants, have a special code called DNA. This code is made up of tiny building blocks called nucleotides. There are four types: adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G).
In humans, there are about 3 billion pairs of these building blocks! This means that even though we seem different on the outside, we share a lot of important instructions for life with many other species.
Comparing DNA:
Scientists can look closely at the DNA of different animals and plants. When they do this, they find out how similar or different they are. For instance:
Finding Molecular Evidence:
The more similar two animals are, the more similar their DNA usually is too. Scientists can look at certain parts of DNA to see how many differences there are. For example, they found that in humans, about 1 out of every 1,000 building blocks of DNA is different compared to chimpanzees.
By studying DNA, scientists can see how all living things are connected through common ancestors. This helps explain how different species have changed over millions of years but still share roots in our family tree of life.