Aren't they supposed to be genetic clones?
The answer comes from the burgeoning science of epigenetics.
Epigenetics is the study of long-term alterations in gene behavior, caused by chemical changes in DNA.
Epigenetics is the study of long-term alterations in gene behavior, caused by chemical changes in DNA.
These changes, often triggered by environmental factors, don't affect genes themselves, but rather the extent to which they are expressed.
Some epigenetic changes can be inherited directly, just like genetic mutations.
Some epigenetic changes can be inherited directly, just like genetic mutations.
Others are transmitted indirectly — through, for example, nature-nurture feedback loops.
Dr. Richard C. Francis, a neuro-biologist by training, has written what may be the first popular introduction to the subject: Epigenetics: The Ultimate Mystery of Inheritance.
Francis says he had long been interested in "the nature-nurture dichotomy and why it was unsatisfactory."
Listen in as Dr. Francis joins Dr. Susanne to discuss the science behind epigenetics and how our environment shapes our genes.
Dr. Richard C. Francis, a neuro-biologist by training, has written what may be the first popular introduction to the subject: Epigenetics: The Ultimate Mystery of Inheritance.
Francis says he had long been interested in "the nature-nurture dichotomy and why it was unsatisfactory."
Listen in as Dr. Francis joins Dr. Susanne to discuss the science behind epigenetics and how our environment shapes our genes.
Richard C. Francis is a freelance science writer. He received his Ph.D. in neurobiology and behavior from Stony Brook University and was a recipient of the National Research Science Award from the National Institute of Mental Health.