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The Human Genome Project
How much of who we are is determined by our genes? How similar are the genes of people living in different parts of the world? Which diseases are genetic? The findings of the Human Genome Project, begun in 1990, will help answer these questions and many others. To find the answers, scientists collected blood, hair, skin cell, and saliva samples of people from all over the world. They then retrieved the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from these samples, which is found in the body's 46 chromosomes. Scientists involved in the project have already finished mapping, or "sequencing," DNA molecules, showing the location of genes. Now that the sequencing is finished, researchers have begun the long process of analyzing the results to find out how these genes function. To scientists, this analysis is like Europe's discovery of the New World.

Scientists' findings so far are both surprising and promising. One of the unexpected findings is that it turns out people have far fewer genes than scientists thought. Before the project, the scientific world had assumed that there were 100,000 genes in the human body responsible for not only physical characteristics like hair and eye color but also certain behaviors and aptitudes. However, there are in fact only 34,000 genes. This means that there is more at work than just genes in determining why one person commits a crime and another is good at music or sports.

Another interesting finding is that although groups of people around the world may look different, they are actually very similar genetically. For instance, there is only a very small number of genes accountable for the difference in skin color.

Some of the most hopeful research coming out of the project relates to the study of disease. When the project first began, the medical world knew of about 100 human disease genes. Because of the project, scientists have identified more than 1400 disease genes so far for such conditions as diabetes, Alzheimer's, and certain forms of colon and breast cancer. By studying how these genes work, medical researchers can try to improve treatments. This could include developing more effective medicines as well as manipulating the genes themselves to cure or even prevent illness. Since scientists have already mapped the genomes of other organisms, including the mouse, rat, and fruit fly, they can now compare these to the human genome to learn how different organisms evolve, react to disease, and respond to environmental pollutants.

Read the following sentence from "The Human Genome Project."

"This means that there is more at work than just genes in determining why one person commits a crime and another is good at music or sports."

What is the most likely reason that the author included this sentence in the text?

1.to explore the origin of one's musical and athletic ability
2.to introduce the study of human behavior and crime
3.to clarify the significance of the project's findings
4.to argue that genetics do not play a role in human behavior

User Mkl Rjv
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2 Answers

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21 votes

Final answer:

The sentence from 'The Human Genome Project' text is included to clarify the significance of the project's findings, indicating that there is more than just genes at work in determining individual traits and behaviors, and that human genetic similarity is greater than previously thought.

Step-by-step explanation:

The sentence "This means that there is more at work than just genes in determining why one person commits a crime and another is good at music or sports." is likely included in the text of The Human Genome Project to clarify the significance of the project's findings. The Human Genome Project has revealed that humans have far fewer genes than previously thought, which implies that factors beyond genes also play a significant role in determining individual characteristics and behaviors.

While genes are definitely a significant part of who we are, this sentence underscores the complexity of traits and suggests that numerous factors, including environment and personal experiences, contribute to the diversity of human behavior and talents.

Understanding that there are only about 20,000 to 25,000 functional genes in the human genome helps illustrate this complexity. By stating that the differences between humans are not due to a large number of genetic variations, the message is that the nature of human identity and behavior is intricate and cannot be solely attributed to genetics.

Moreover, this sentence also hints at the potential for genetic research to delve into the non-coding regions of DNA, which may have far-reaching implications for our understanding of genetics and biology.

User AkashG
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22 votes
22 votes

Answer:

2 to introduce the study of humans behavior and crime

User Randgalt
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