They say siblings share about 50% of their DNA. Yet it is also said that bananas and humans share 50-60% of their genetic material. What exactly is each claim referring to?
In: Biology
Cars and trains are made of wheels, axles, chassis, glass, seats, engines. Trains have parts cars don’t and nice versa. They’re made of 50% similar basic building blocks.
2016 Honda Civics and 2020 Honda Civics both have 4 wheels, two axles, two front seats, very similar engines, same shape steering wheels. But there are differences in peripheral support, safety features, trim.
DNA is a set of basic building blocks. We’re similar to bananas because we’re living things. We’re made of organic cells. We reproduce. The mechanisms evolved to do those jobs are very very similar. Like wheels or axles.
Genes represent small variations on very similar strategies. The chain of Honda’s are different from each other, but compared to semi trucks, or Porsches, or go-karts, they’re almost identical and clearly related. Siblings are made of identical building blocks with similar strategies.
All living things are made of some similar building blocks, but they may have wildly different strategies.
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