How Genetically Similar Are Humans? (Interesting facts)

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Any two humans are genetically about 99.6–99.9% identical.

Only 0.1–0.4% of our DNA differs, and this accounts for variations like physical traits, disease risk, and personality.

:man_curly_hair::woman: Genetic Difference Between Male and Female

The biggest genetic difference between men and women is the sex chromosomes:

Females have XX,

Males have XY (the Y chromosome is much smaller and contains fewer genes).

Because of this, men and women are genetically about 98.2–98.4% similar,
which is slightly less than the similarity between two individuals of the same sex (~99%).

:brain: Do These Genetic Differences Affect the Brain?

Yes — genetics play a major role in brain structure and function.
Some brain regions (like the cortex, thalamus, amygdala) show high heritability (up to 90% in some studies).

However, experience and environment also significantly shape the brain over time, a process known as neuroplasticity.

Even identical twins (with 100% shared DNA) can develop different brain networks due to life experiences.

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I love this topic! :sweat_smile:

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Very interesting post!

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I am glad you like it, @Joker :))

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Humans share same dna with all life forms on earth

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I think it’s super cool how such a tiny amount of genetic information can cause so much difference between people.

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What about intersex people with XXY? They’re both male and female.

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A TV memory.

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Hmm I may ask chatGPT!

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:magnifying_glass_tilted_left: 2. What’s Different in XXY?

XXY individuals have one extra X chromosome.

The X chromosome is large, with ~1,100–1,500 genes. The Y chromosome is much smaller (~50–60 genes).

Compared to:

Typical males (XY): XXY people have one extra full chromosome (X).

Typical females (XX): XXY people have the same number of X chromosomes, but also a Y.

:bar_chart: 3. Estimated DNA Difference in Percent

Here’s a simplified estimate:

Comparison Approximate DNA Similarity

XXY vs XY (typical male) ~98.5–99%
XXY vs XX (typical female) ~98.5–99%
XY vs XX ~98.5–99%

So, XXY people are not dramatically more different from typical males or females than those two groups are from each other.

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Interesting. I know someone who is intersex. She identifies as female but is as large as a strong tall man, so she gets discriminated against a lot because people think she’s transgender

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