SCIENCE in your LIFE
What makes you…well, you?
By A.M.
DNA, we’ve all heard of it, but what does it mean?
DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid, yeah, try and say that three times in a row without messing up! But don’t let the big science word scare you, it basically means that it’s a code that has your mother and father’s information in it that makes you…well, you! DNA makes up all of your characteristics from what color your hair is to cool things like if you can whistle or not. The coolest part is, no one in the entire universe has the same DNA as you, unless you have an identical twin.
DNA has a certain look to it that is easy to spot. Its comparable to a ladder that’s been twisted like a pretzel. Within the DNA, there are these little structures called chromosomes. Now, chromosomes make up if you’re a boy or a girl. Girls have two X chromosomes, making them XX, and boys and one X and one Y chromosome, making them XY. This is the information that your parents pass onto you in your DNA when you are concieved. Your father actually is the one that determines if you will be a male or female. If he passes the X chromosome to you, you’ll be a girl, and if an X is passed to you, you’ll be a boy! We like to call this your karyotype, which is short for the number, type and appearance of everyone’s chromosomes!
DNA and chromosomes make you who you are, it determines your looks, your personality, and what traits you hold, which is really awesome because your DNA determines if you can roll your tongue or wiggle your ears. So, next time you’re looking in the mirror, thank your DNA for the beautiful person you are!
Please send any questions or comments to Dr. Spitzer (spitzern@marshall.edu )
Note: Any opinions expressed in these articles are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent those of Dr. Spitzer, the Department of Biological Sciences, or Marshall University.