DNA: The Molecule that Defines You
Every living thing on planet Earth is defined by its own molecule -- what's yours?
This molecule, called
DNA,
spans about two meters stretched out but is coiled into every cell in your body.
The many copies of
DNA
that compose you were all copied from one single cell, and your body is
continually making new copies.
The above ground-breaking animated video
depicts the tiny, amazing, bio-molecular machinery that makes these
DNA copies.
For a fee, it is now possible to
find part of all of the code
of the DNA molecule that defines you, but
lively debates involving ethics may arise regarding whether you or anyone may own,
disclose,
patent, or
copyright it.
No one knows if DNA-like molecules will also define life that
originates outside of Earth.