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Copyright © 1997, Jay Ligda.  All rights reserved.  Published by Humans in the Universe and Jay Ligda.

The DNA of Chimpanzees

      The DNA of the human and the chimpanzee are 99.8% identical.  This is a common known fact.  What is not so commonly known is that only five percent of the DNA is used in creating the shape of a given species (Martin, 1993).  The rest of the DNA is filler or "junk" DNA.  Theories about the reason for junk DNA include: it is spacers, it is redundant in the event of an attack, or it is in preparation for an evolutionary jump (Martin, 1993).  Regardless, while human and chimpanzee DNA are virtually identical, a different portion of the genetic code is used in shaping the species.  Martin (1993) compares this to two recipe books that are virtually the same (two out of a thousand pages would be different).  What is read out of the book is different, giving rise to a different species.  This leaves a question of what determines the section that is "read."

by Jay Ligda

(This work is a all or part of an original work first published/written for John. F. Kennedy University:  Final Integrative Project., Mar1996.)


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References

  • Martin, B.  (1993).  "DNA."  Lecture presented at John. F. Kennedy University, Orinda, CA.

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