Discovery Box
DNA
CRACKING THE CODE! BY ANDREA WILLINGHAM
H
ave you ever wondered why some people have blue eyes and some have brown eyes? Or why some insects fly while others crawl? Why are some fish are big and others small? It all has to do with our DNA. Deoxyribonucleic (dee-OXsee-rye-bo-noo-CLAY-ik) acid, or DNA, shapes all life on Earth. It’s a microscopic bundle of molecules located inside the cells of every living thing—including you! This bundle of molecules contains genetic information that determines the unique characteristics and adaptations of every species on the planet—from eye color to blood type to whether a plant has leaves or thorns. The information in DNA is stored as a very simple code made up of four chemical bases, known by their initials: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T). The way these bases are arranged determines the code, or information, needed to build and maintain all of our bodies’ characteristics.
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O R E G O N F A M I LY . C O M
FEBRUARY 2021
