<div style="float: right; text-align: justified; width: 200px; background-color: #eee; padding: 15px; margin-left: 10px;"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-15470 size-thumbnail" title="Gregor" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Gregor-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Gregor-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Gregor-271x271.jpg 271w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" />Our Hero 
Gregor Mendel, an Austrian monk and biologist, worked out the pattern of inheritance of various traits. He showed that a “dominant” trait is one that always shows up in offspring while a “recessive” trait is one that is masked by a dominant gene.</div>
Update: If you took this quiz before 10 a.m. PST on Monday, September 10th, we neglected to capture your name and email address. We sincerely apologize for this oversight. Please fill out the quiz again and this time you will be prompted to enter your name and email. We&#8217;ve extended this quiz through 11:59 p.m. PST September 16th to give you plenty of time!   
Pop quiz.  Who was Gregor Mendel?
If only hazy visions of pea pods come to mind you might want to buff up on your biology.
Learning about genetics isn’t just for high schoolers and college students – it’s an interesting topic of exploration no matter what your age or profession.
We&#8217;re going to help you with a quick primer and links to some of our online educational videos found on our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/gen101/">website</a>. And to make sure it all sunk in we&#8217;ve got a quiz at the bottom of this post.
What Are Genes? 
DNA contains the instructions for making you and takes the shape of a twisted ladder, having two parallel, but complementary strands. There are four letters to the DNA alphabet – A, T, G and C. Human DNA is organized into two pairs of 23 chromosomes and chromosomes are further organized into short segments of DNA called genes. If you imagine your DNA as a cookbook, then your genes are the recipes. Written in the DNA alphabet, the recipes tell your cells how to function and what traits to express.
Where Do Genes Come From? 
You were gifted with a set of 23 chromosomes from your mom and a set of 23 chromosomes from your dad. Twenty two of the pairs contain the <a href="https://www.23andme.com/gen101/origins/">same genes on each chromosome</a> and are called “autosomes”. The remaining pair is composed of the “sex chromosomes” and isn’t necessarily identical – females typically have two X chromosomes and males have an X and a Y.
What Are Phenotypes? 
Slight variation in your genes is part of what makes you unique. Your observable traits, also known as your phenotypes, result from interactions between your genes and the environment. Differences in some phenotypes, like height, are determined mostly by genes. If you have short parents and grandparents, you probably don&#8217;t tower over your peers, though environmental factors like a healthy diet might give you a little lift. The influence of genes on other traits, such as your personality, is less well understood.
Did you get all that? Take our quiz and find out! Prizes will be given to a random selection of people who answer all questions correctly (perfect for buying that genetics textbook on your wishlist). Good luck!
Update: This quiz is officially over! 
<div style="border: 1px solid #000; padding: 5px; font-style: italic; margin: 15px; width: 550px; float: center;">
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-12163" style="float: left; margin-right: 15px;" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/JRBgdIBXKIeVIdETJrxYIw_ttam_logo.jpg" alt="" width="24" height="40" />You have now completed the entire 23andMe Genetics 101 course, the second in a three-part Back-to-School educational course series! Click on the certificate below get a larger image which you can print out and display it with pride.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-15549" title="CertificateGenetics" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/CertificateGenetics-300x198.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="198" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/CertificateGenetics-300x198.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/CertificateGenetics-768x508.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/CertificateGenetics.jpg 845w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><a href="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/PreHistoryPostCertificate.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> 
</a>
Want to continue your education? Learn about <a href="https://www.23andme.com/you/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">your health and ancestry </a>with 23andMe. Not yet a customer? Visit our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/store/cart/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">store</a>.
</div>

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

Back-to-School: Genetics 101

Correction: Ouch! We mistakenly listed the wrong answer to the last question in the quiz. It has been corrected. Populations are more similar now than they were 500 years ago due to migration and intermixing. The correction did not change the results for the winner. 

<div style="border: 1px solid #000; padding: 5px; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 15px; width: 540px; float: center; margin-left: 15px; margin-top: 5px;">
<h2>Okay students, pencils down!</h2>
Last <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/human-prehistory-101">Friday</a> we posted the first of a three-part series of educational courses in celebration of the Back-to-School season (see above). The entries are now in. You can see how you did by comparing with correct answers below. Also, a special congratulations goes out to  James  Gamble for being selected among all the entries. For the rest of you, you&#8217;ll have more chances to win an Amazon gift card as we post the remaining two quizzes in our series. For those who love learning for the sake of learning, the course is still available <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/human-prehistory-101">here</a>.
Prologue 
Question: When do scientists think the last common ancestor between the human and the chimpanzee lived? 
Correct Answer: 6.5 million years ago 
Despite any suspicions fostered by your last family reunion, scientists think that the last common ancestor between you and the chimp lived 6.5 million years ago.
Part 1: Out of (Eastern) Africa 
Question: The first humans reached Europe and Australia at approximately the same time. 
Correct Answer: True 
Around 45,000 years ago, humans, who had originated in Africa, were venturing into both Europe and Australia. Although the trip to Australia was longer, in some ways it was easier. The traveling to Australia meant coastal beaches and warm weather, whereas traveling to Europe meant harsh terrain and cold climates. Thus, our ancestors migrated along these two paths &#8212; paths of very different lengths &#8212; in approximately the same amount of time.
Part 2: Weathering the Storm 
Question: How much cooler (on average) was it during the ice age? 
Correct Answer: 15 ° F 
During the ice age, the thermometer (had thermometers been invented) would have stayed 15 F lower than it reads today. These cold temperatures meant that mile-thick glaciers covered much of Europe, North America, and Asia.
Part 3: Agriculture Rocks Our World 
Question: Which was not one of the principal food stables of Papua New Guinea? 
Correct Answer: guinea pigs 
Despite their name, guinea pigs were eaten in South America, not Papua New Guinea.
Epilogue 
Question: True or False: Ethnic groups are more distinct from each other than they were 500 years ago? 
Correct Answer: False 
Due to modern travel, more individuals are coming into contact with (and having children with) partners with ancestry different than their own.
</div>

Back-to-School: Human Prehistory 101 Test Results

Soon children will be filling their backpacks with new notebooks and pencils and piling into yellow school buses.   Even if your school days are long past, you need not be left behind.
Learning is life-long, and you can continue your education using 23andMe&#8217;s short animated guides to human prehistory.
Distributed on-line both on our website (just the first three videos) and at the <a href="https://www.khanacademy.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Khan Academy</a> (all five videos), watching these free educational videos couldn&#8217;t be easier.
To learn a little more about genetics you don&#8217;t even need to get on a bus, just your computer.  It is time to go back-to-school!
To take the 23andMe course in Human Prehistory 101, watch the following five videos below. This is the first of three educational courses we&#8217;ll be posting in honor of the &#8220;Back-to-School&#8221; season.
You can check how well you really were paying attention by trying our &#8220;quiz&#8221; after the videos (and you stand a chance of winning a $25 Amazon Gift Card).   We&#8217;ll be announcing the correct answers and the winner of the contest on Wednesday, September 5th. Upon completion, you can take pride in your new knowledge by printing out a certificate that signifies your new human prehistory expert status!

<table id="movies" border="1" width="603" cellspacing="10" cellpadding="20">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 15px;"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-15085 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Prologue-300x235.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="235" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Prologue-300x235.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Prologue.jpg 542w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></td>
<td style="padding: 15px;">
<h3>Prologue</h3>
Description: 
This <a href="https://youtu.be/Mm-IxK1GrYE" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">first video</a> sets the stage. You&#8217;ll learn about our ancestors and evolutionary cousins &#8212; who they were and how they lived.
 Time: 
4 min 41 sec</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 15px;"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-15124 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Part11-300x228.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="228" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Part11-300x228.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Part11.jpg 603w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></td>
<td style="padding: 15px;">
<h3>Part 1: Out of (Eastern) Africa</h3>
Description: 
In this<a href="https://youtu.be/8183HPmA2_I" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> second video</a> learn about the birthplace of humanity &#8212; Africa &#8212; and why non-Africans may be descended from as few as 100 travelers.
 Time: 
5 min 35 sec</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 15px;"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-15092 alignleft" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Part2-300x232.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="232" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Part2-300x232.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Part2.jpg 586w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></td>
<td style="padding: 15px;">
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Part 2: Weathering the Storm</h3>
Description: 
Hot weather got your down?   This <a href="https://youtu.be/T9Nw66RCMhg" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">third video</a> is sure to cool you off.
 Time: 
3 min 25 sec</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 15px;"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-15093 aligncenter" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Part3-300x211.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="211" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Part3-300x211.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Part3.jpg 736w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></td>
<td style="padding: 15px;">
<h3>Part 3: Agriculture Rocks Our World</h3>
Description: 
In this <a href="https://youtu.be/IVHD9wGlbho" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">fourth video</a> you learn about how agriculture not only changed our diets but also many social aspects of human society.
 Time: 
7 min 00 sec</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 15px;"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-15094 aligncenter" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Epilogue-300x202.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="202" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Epilogue-300x202.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Epilogue.jpg 732w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></td>
<td style="padding: 15px;">
<h3>Epilogue</h3>
Description: 
This <a href="https://youtu.be/F-zRXHAo4-U" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">last video</a> tells the story of how humankind is being reunited.
 Time: 
2 min 45 sec</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Update: This quiz is officially over! <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/human-prehistory-101-results">Check out the answers here.</a> 
<div style="border: 1px solid #000; padding: 5px; font-style: italic; margin: 15px; width: 550px; float: center;">
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-12163" style="float: left; margin-right: 15px;" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/JRBgdIBXKIeVIdETJrxYIw_ttam_logo.jpg" alt="" width="24" height="40" />You have now completed the entire 23andMe Human Prehistory course, the first in a three-part Back-to-School educational course series! Click on the certificate below get a larger image which you can print out and display it with pride.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-15149 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/PreHistoryPostCertificate-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/PreHistoryPostCertificate-300x199.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/PreHistoryPostCertificate-768x509.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/PreHistoryPostCertificate.jpg 852w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Want to continue your education? You can learn about <a href="https://www.23andme.com/you/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">your self from both a health and ancestry perspective </a> on 23andMe. Not yet a customer? Visit our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/store/cart/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">store</a>.
</div>

Back-to-School: Human Prehistory 101

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13497" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/FathersDayImage.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="300" />
There is no one quite like Dad. Dad is the story-book-reader, the scraped-knee-healer, and the piggy-back-ride hero of childhood. And even though no one is exactly like Dad, there is someone who is at least partially like him: you. In addition to the piggy-back rides, your father also gave you half of his DNA.  As the <a href="http://www.menshealthmonth.org/week/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Men’s Health Week </a>begins, thank your dad, as you wouldn’t be you without him.

<a href="http://www.menshealthmonth.org/week/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> </a>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-13488 size-thumbnail" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/NationalMensHealthWeek-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/NationalMensHealthWeek-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/NationalMensHealthWeek-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/NationalMensHealthWeek-372x372.jpg 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/NationalMensHealthWeek-574x574.jpg 574w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" />
<div style="border: 1px solid #000; padding: 5px; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 15px; width: 400px; float: right; margin-left: 15px;">
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-12163" style="float: left; margin-right: 15px;" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/JRBgdIBXKIeVIdETJrxYIw_ttam_logo.jpg" alt="" width="24" height="40" /> Male 23andMe customers can learn more about their paternal line (the ancestry inferred from their Y-chromosome) here:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.23andme.com/you/haplogroup/paternal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Paternal Ancestry</a></li>
</ul>
Not yet a customer? Visit our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/store/cart/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">store</a> or <a href="https://www.23andme.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">learn more</a>.
</div>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-13515" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/FathersDayBanner-1024x69.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="55" />

Happy Father’s Day! Celebrate Your DNA From Dad!

Last week we quizzed our readers on heritability, a genetics concept that is often misinterpreted. Congratulations to Monica P., the winner of the quiz! She got all the answers correct and will receive an Amazon gift card. Read on for the answers and to learn more about what we can say about nature vs. nurture&#8230;
by Emily Chang and Chuong Do
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-12225 aligncenter" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Wordle.jpg" alt="" width="535" height="392" /> 
 
This image shows the heritabilty of several diseases; the font size is proportional to the heritability of the disease. Celiac disease, for instance, is highly heritable, whereas lung cancer is much less heritable.  Click on the chart to see a larger version. (Source: Chuong Do, unpublished manuscript)
What can you blame for those extra pounds, your great grandma Bertha’s obesity or that extra bowl of ice cream? “Nature” and “nurture” are commonly pitted against each other in discussions on genetics, but for most disease, both play a contributing role. In any population, individuals vary in their propensity for developing a given disease.  The proportion of this variation in the population that can be explained by genetics is known as “heritability.”

<div style="width: 250px; background-color: #ffc; border: 2px solid #ccc; padding: 10px; margin-left: 15px; float: right; font-size: 11px;">Q: Among Europeans, which disease is the least heritable? 
A: Bladder cancer. The heritability of bladder cancer is approximately 7%, suggesting that environmental factors contribute much more to variations in risk for this disease than genetics.</div>
Heritability estimates vary considerably across common diseases.  For instance, celiac disease is highly heritable, meaning that the variability in the disease is mostly due to genetic differences. Other diseases are less heritable, such as lung cancer; the variability in this disease may be more correlated with non-genetic risk factors (e.g., smoking habits, diet, air pollution, etc.) than with genetic differences.
<div style="width: 250px; background-color: #ffc; border: 2px solid #ccc; padding: 10px; margin-left: 15px; float: right; font-size: 11px;">Q: True or false? Schizophrenia is over 50% heritable. This means that your genes play a bigger role in whether you will develop schizophrenia than your environment. 
A: False. Heritability describes the extent to which genetics explains variations in risk across a population, but does not explain the genetic contribution towards risk for an individual, for whom specific genetic or non-genetic factors may play a bigger role.</div>
Heritability is a complex concept, and not surprisingly, is often misinterpreted. The most common misconception is that heritability describes the relative importance of genetics and environment for a specific individual. While useful at the population level, heritability actually doesn’t mean much at the individual level. For example, IQ is a highly heritable, but one can’t assume that a child born to parents of high IQ will also have a high IQ without factoring in the extremely important role played by his or her upbringing. As another example, breast cancer is estimated to have relatively low heritability (less than 33%), yet for a woman carrying a rare mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, knowledge of this single genetic factor will often have a substantially greater significance for her breast cancer risk than any known environmental factor.
<div style="width: 250px; background-color: #ffc; border: 2px solid #ccc; padding: 10px; margin-left: 15px; float: right; font-size: 11px;">Q: True or false? Ovarian cancer has a relatively low heritability of about 20%. This means there are no genetic mutations that greatly increase the risk of developing ovarian cancer. 
A: False. Genetic factors may play a relatively small role in ovarian cancer risk for the general population, but there may still be rare genetic factors that contribute greatly to a woman&#8217;s risk for the disease.</div>
Another misconception is the idea that a disease that is highly heritable must be determined by only a few genes that have a strong effect. Some diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, can be attributed solely to mutations in a single gene; this, however, is not always the case. The high heritability of schizophrenia, for example, is often believed to result from the contributions of many, many genes, each with small impact on disease risk.  A person could harbor lots of risk-predisposing variants for schizophrenia, yet still not have the disease.
<div style="width: 250px; background-color: #ffc; border: 2px solid #ccc; padding: 10px; margin-left: 15px; float: right; font-size: 11px;">Q: True or false? The heritability of a disease can change over time and from population to population. 
A: True. Heritability can differ depending on which population you&#8217;re looking at, and can change over time as the environment changes.</div>
Finally, many people assume that heritability for a given condition is constant across populations and over time.  In reality, heritability can be highly population dependent, and can change as the environment changes. For instance, height depends on both nutrition and genetics. In societies where nearly all children receive comparable nutrition, only genetic factors vary between individuals, so height appears highly heritable.  But in societies with greater economic disparities, height differences correlate more strongly with nutrition, resulting in lower heritability.
Although often misunderstood, heritability is a useful concept that can provide insights into the nature vs. debate.  More importantly, the low heritability of many diseases suggests that our collective disease destiny is only partially determined by our genes. You can’t change your DNA, but you can change your ice cream to frozen yogurt.
<div style="border: 1px solid #000; padding: 5px; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 15px;">To learn more about the technical aspects of heritability, see <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18319743" target="_" rel="noopener">this 2008 article</a> published in Nature Reviews Genetics by Peter Visscher and colleagues. You can also learn about your personalized genetic risk for many of these conditions by visiting “My Health” in your 23andMe account. Not yet a customer? Visit our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/store/cart/" target="_" rel="noopener">store</a> or <a href="https://www.23andme.com" target="_" rel="noopener">learn more</a>.</div>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-12225 aligncenter" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/HeritabilityWithKids.jpg" alt="" width="535" height="392" /> 
 
Heritability estimates from the scientific literature are typically based on twin studies and vary widely across diseases, as illustrated in the chart above.   Click on the chart to see a larger version. 
(Source: Chuong Do, unpublished manuscript).

Emily Chang

Quiz Answers: Heritability Demystified

Mothers are special on so many levels. We cherish them for loving us and imparting important life lessons&#8230; and for giving us <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitochondrion" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">mitochondria</a> (or &#8220;mito&#8221; for short)! Mitochondria are small, roundish structures inside of cells that produce cellular energy. They have &#8220;zigzag insides&#8221; and their own DNA, which can be used to trace a person&#8217;s maternal line.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-12805" title="mothers day card v3" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/mothers-day-card-v3-1024x489.png" alt="" width="608" height="290" />
Mother&#8217;s day marks the beginning of National Women&#8217;s Health Week. We&#8217;ll be running posts all week about universal female milestones (menarche and menopause) and a variety of other women&#8217;s health topics. Stay tuned!
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-12789" title="2012-nwhw-web-banner" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/2012-nwhw-web-banner.png" alt="" width="408" height="104" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/2012-nwhw-web-banner.png 408w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/2012-nwhw-web-banner-300x76.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 408px) 100vw, 408px" />

Thanks for the Mito Mom!

23andMe celebrates genetic diversity but today we’d like to <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/?p=12218">celebrate</a> our genetic similarities &#8212; to other organisms.  You are no rabbit or chicken (or, if you are, you are a truly impressive rabbit or chicken to be reading this blog). Rather, your DNA contains all the instructions for making you human. All humans have essentially the same set of genes, but you actually share many of these genes with other animals and even plants.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-12225 size-full" title="FractionThatYouShareFinal" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/FractionThatYouShareFinal.jpg" alt="" width="1422" height="1044" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/FractionThatYouShareFinal.jpg 1422w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/FractionThatYouShareFinal-300x220.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/FractionThatYouShareFinal-768x564.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/FractionThatYouShareFinal-1024x752.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/FractionThatYouShareFinal-880x646.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/FractionThatYouShareFinal-1180x866.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1422px) 100vw, 1422px" />
 
Chimpanzees, our closest living animal cousins share 98% of our human genes, meaning that for 98% of our genes, there is a similar gene in the chimpanzee genome. Even mammals that look quite different from us share a large percentage of our genes; small and furry mice share 92% our genes.
<div style="border: 1px solid #000; padding: 5px; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 15px; width: 200px; float: right; margin-left: 15px;">
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-12163" style="float: left; margin-right: 15px;" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/JRBgdIBXKIeVIdETJrxYIw_ttam_logo.jpg" alt="" width="24" height="40" />See how genetically similar you are to other people using the Compare Genes feature or see how much DNA you share with <a href="https://www.23andme.com/you/labs/neanderthal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Neanderthals</a> in your 23andMe account.
Not yet a customer? Visit our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/store/cart/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">store</a> or <a href="https://www.23andme.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">learn more</a>.
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Non-mammals share a smaller, but still appreciable, percentage of our genes.  Fruit flies, for instance, have their own version of approximately 44% our human genes. Many of these genes influence growth and structure in both mammals and insects. More distantly related is yeast, the one-celled organism much loved by bakers and brewers alike. Yeast share about a quarter of our genes, many of which are necessary for basic cell functions.  Plants, too, share many genes with humans; one type of weed was estimated to share 18% of our genes.
DNA is what makes us unique as individuals and as the human species, and yet DNA also illustrates how connected we are to all other living organisms. Now that’s something to celebrate!
The concept for today’s post was suggested by a 23andMe customer.  The percentages presented above can be found at the Marian Koshland Science Museum of the National Academy of Science website.

Genetic Similarities of Mice and Men

We at 23andMe have a special place in our hearts for today, <a href="https://www.genome.gov/10506367" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">National DNA Day</a>.
There are many ways to celebrate this special science holiday, ranging from making DNA-themed bracelets to constructing helical origami, but we think one of the best ways is to learn something new about DNA and, in the process, yourself.  
We already help people understand more about human genetics through our “<a href="https://www.23andme.com/gen101/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Genetics 101</a>” resources, but there is always more to learn.  That’s why <a href="https://www.23andme.com/about/press/khan_academy">we’re teaming up with the Khan Academy</a> to bring genetics education to a bigger audience.
In addition, 23andMe partners with high schools, colleges, and universities to improve understanding of genetic information and to foster a dialogue about personalized medicine. We offer several resources for academic classes with a focus on genetics, medicine, human biology, anthropology, or bioethics, including significantly reduced rates on our Personal Genome Service ®.
You can learn more about 23andMe’s academic program at www.23andme.com/academic/.
DNA day is not just about learning more science &#8212; it is about learning more about yourself. Your genetic code is as complex and fascinating as you are.  
Go ahead and <a href="https://www.23andme.com/store" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">take a look</a> — it is time to celebrate DNA and time to celebrate <a href="https://www.23andme.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">you</a>!
<div style="background-color: #ffc; padding: 10px; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 15px; border: 1px solid #ccc;">They say a picture is worth a thousand words &#8212; Check back later today for an  <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/2012/04/20/genetic-similarities-of-mice-and-men/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">image</a> that illustrates our genetic similarities to other organisms.  Learn more about DNA today!</div>
<div style="background-color: #eee; padding: 10px; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 15px; border: 1px solid #ccc;">23andMe is not offering any promotional pricing for DNA Day this year. We are celebrating DNA Day this year instead by focusing on educational opportunities.</div>

DNA Day: Educate and Celebrate

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-11941" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Sport-Fan-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Sport-Fan-300x199.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Sport-Fan.jpg 425w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
It’s that time of year again. That’s right&#8230; it’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Men%27s_Division_I_Basketball_Championship" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">March Madness</a> and time to follow your favorite U.S. college basketball teams during playoffs. Some of you may be baffled by how much mental energy, time, and money Americans invest in sporting events, but those who participate will expound on the excitement of watching spectacular athletes and the thrill of competition, or simply the fun of betting on the outcome.
Investigating the different angles of March Madness turns out to be pretty interesting from a genetic perspective. First there is the genetics underlying athleticism, a trait that combines physical attributes like strength, coordination and stamina along with psychological behaviors – the ability to focus, to persevere and to compete. Then there is the genetics of the “spectator” who nearly becomes obsessed with basketball in these last two weeks of March. 
 
Genetic factors for the basketball player 
Being tall and getting across the court quickly might make you a better basketball player. Although height clearly has many contributing environmental factors, it also has a <a href="https://www.23andme.com/health/Height/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">strong genetic component</a> and researchers have found several inherited factors that contribute to height in people of European descent. For instance, those with at least one T at rs6060371 and one C at rs1042725 tended to be slightly taller on average.
As for dashing across the court, <a href="https://www.23andme.com/health/Muscle-Performance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">research suggests</a> that a SNP in the ACTN3 gene known as “R577X” (rs1815739) is linked to “fast-twitch” muscle fiber function. <a href="http://www.23andme.com/topics/wellness/muscle-composition/">Fast-twitch muscle fibers</a> are important for power events like sprinting and the C version of this SNP is carried by many world-class sprinters and some endurance athletes.
Although it’s likely that there are additional genetic and environmental factors that influence whether you’ll become a basketball star, these are a few that might help you make that basket.
Genetic factors for the spectator 
Unfortunately much less is known about why some people love watching basketball (or sports in general) and to our knowledge, scientists haven’t yet correlated genetic factors with this interesting behavior! It’s possible, however, that sex and environment are involved. One <a href="http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst?docId=5002364547" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">study</a> showed that women are just as likely as men to report being sport fans, but men overall participate in more fan behavior. Women also seem to watch sports more if they do so with family and friends, though men follow sports because they themselves play and they enjoy the trivia aspect of following sports.
So whether you are an aspiring basketball player, a passionate spectator, or simply enjoy watching curiously from afar, it’s clear that the genetics underlying March Madness is very complex. Perhaps with time researchers will sort out the role of genetics in these two very interesting arenas of athleticism and fan behavior.

23andMe and You — Page 8