Mirror, mirror, how your genes decide your family’s looks

Hello, curious minds! Have you ever been struck by how you and your parents share those strange family resemblances? It’s like your DNA knows a secret handshake! In this exciting episode of our STEAM blog, we will discuss the world of genetics to discover why you are so much like the people who brought you into this world. Embark on a genetic journey through the twists and turns of DNA!

Imagine your DNA as a magic recipe book of life, a book that contains all the ingredients, instructions and secret family recipes that make you unique. Your parents are like chefs, and you? Well, you’re the dish they cooked! Your DNA is not a solo act; it’s a duet! You inherit half of your DNA from your mom and half from your dad, it’s a bit like a recipe that requires ingredients from both sides of the family. Then, when you look in the mirror, you see a mix of mom and dad’s culinary talents.

Let’s talk about traits, those nifty little characteristics that make you who you are, think of these as the flavors on your plate. Your genes are like flavor packets that are passed down from generation to generation, you may have mom’s blue eyes or dad’s curly hair because of these genetic flavorings. Genes can be a bit like siblings fighting for attention; sometimes, one gene asserts itself and is called dominant, while the other remains inactive and is called recessive. If mom’s gene for blue eyes is dominant and dad’s gene for brown eyes is recessive, you will have blue eyes.

Take a moment to look at your earlobes in the mirror. Are they attached to your head or do they hang freely like little pendants? This is a trait controlled by your genes. If both parents have attached earlobes, chances are you do too, but if one parent has freely moving earlobes, your chances change! Genetics is a game of probabilities; the fact that your parents have certain traits does not guarantee that you will inherit them. It’s like a genetic dice roll and you never know what combinations you’ll get.

Every once in a while a genetic anomaly comes along! Mutations are like secret ingredients added to the family recipe. Sometimes, they create something completely new and exciting. They can explain those unique traits that set you apart from everyone else in your family, so why do you look like your parents? It is the fantastic interplay of genes, like a genetic jigsaw puzzle that results in you being the amazing and unique individual that you are. Your mom and dad’s genes come together in unexpected ways, mixing traits and occasionally generating a genetic curve ball, in the end, even if you look like a mix of your parents, remember that you are your own delicious recipe. Celebrate your genetic uniqueness, embrace the traits you inherited and continue to explore the wonders of science. Until next time, keep showing off your family resemblance with pride!