Biologycalendar_todayLast updated: Apr 2026
What is DNA?
/ˌdɪˈɒksɪraɪˌbɒnjuːˈkliːɪk ˈæsɪd/
DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) is the molecule inside every living cell that carries genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth, and reproduction of all known living organisms.
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Everyday Example
Your DNA is like a 3-billion-letter instruction manual that was written at the moment of your conception and is present in virtually every cell in your body.
publicReal-World Application
“DNA evidence has exonerated over 375 wrongfully convicted prisoners in the US since the 1990s, and has been used to identify victims of mass disasters worldwide.”
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Did you know?
The double helix structure of DNA was discovered by Watson and Crick in 1953 — though Rosalind Franklin's X-ray crystallography work provided the crucial evidence they used.
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Key Insight
Your DNA is 99.9% identical to every other human on Earth. The 0.1% variation accounts for all human diversity — from eye colour to disease risk to ancestry.
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