Genetics is an interesting topic and has been essential in tackling issues related to the health of humans and at the same time helping us understand our makeup. People started making studies on genetics in the 19th century, but since then it has been one of the fastest areas of science that keep on growing. At first genetics studies were carried out to understand how traits could be passed down from the parents to their children but nowadays the field has advanced amazingly. Scientists can now research on the gene functions across numerous disciplines. It has led to the discovery of the concept of genetic engineering which has been crucial in saving the lives of many people. Also, genetics has been applied in the farming industry to help create crops that come with a higher yield. With this and more, the following are some fantastic facts about genetics:
#1: Few cancer cases are genetically related
Most cases of cancer are as a result of the environmental factors human beings are exposed on while an average of 5-10 per cent occurs because of genetic inheritance. As much as genetics plays a part in cancer cases, the environment you live in and what you do usually plays a more prominent role.
#2: Human beings might be genetically programmed so that they cannot live longer than 120 years.
Scientists believe that the genetic composition of humans is coded in a manner that it prevents them from living beyond 120 years. This has been proved by making studies on cells where it was found out that cells have limited time for division.
#3: People share more genetic material than what you may be thinking.
Scientists have discovered that people can share up to 99.9 per cent of the identical genetic material. This is quite interesting as the persons you are seated next to might have the exact genetic composition as yours.
#4. Human beings have a similar genetic composition with some other species.
About 98 per cent of the genetic material of humans is identical to that of chimpanzees, 21 per cent identical to that of mice and around 7 per cent same as that of E-coli bacteria.
#5: The DNA molecule structure was discovered a few decades ago.
In the year 1953, James Watson and Francis Crick discovered the structure of the DNA molecule. This is averagely 60 years since the first discovery of genetics and DNA was made.
#6: Some women are tetrachromats
This is a genetic mutation condition, which allows them to see around 100 million various colours compared to the average of 1 million a normal human being sees. This is largely because the mutation makes their eyes to have four distinct types of cone cells.
#7: A number of Europeans are HIV resistant
Scientists discovered that sometimes back Europeans were faced with plagues which resulted in genetic mutations making around 10 per cent of its population resistant to HIV.
#8: There exists a genetic mutation that increases the density of your bones
The mutation can make you have a bone density 8 times more than that of an average human being. A person who has this mutation can sink like a stone when attempting swimming or even come out of a car accident without a single fracture.
