What is DNA? A look at the basics – Williston Daily Herald

What is DNA? We hear it all the time on crime shows and judicial documentaries, it solves cold cases and points the finger at the guilty party but what is it really? In the short answer, it is the instructions for building a new cell in a living organism.

The molecules, or nucleotides, have four labels A,T,G and C and their order in a DNA strand gives a cell an identity, so to speak. These are coiled into 46 chromosomes and this is split into two sets of 23. All humans have two sets of 23. Most flowering plants have 12 sets, porcupines and red fox have 17 sets. This number does not necessarily dictate the complexity or simplicity of a species, its just the number of chromosome sets.

In Switzerland, 1869 a chemist by the name of Friedrich Miescher accidentally discovered DNA while characterizing protein components in white blood cells. He knew immediately that he had discovered something important but it took over 50 years for the discovery to be recognized in the scientific community. In that time, DNA took a dark turn in research in the bunk field of eugenics which applied a general set of non-scientific rules to all species and did notable damage to the study of DNA.

In 1950, a young biochemist by the name of Emmett Chappelle began his career in plant DNA research. He discovered that even single celled plant organisms photosynthesize and isolated the ATP pair in the plant DNA responsible for this. Later, while working with NASA, he used his research in plant DNA to develop the first real-life space exploration farming situation, the design for which is the current system to be used in potential NASA and Space Force colonization efforts in the future.

DNA research has made leaps and bounds since then and the pursuit for information speeds up every day. In 1986, distinguishing DNA took months and cost thousands, today, it takes a couple minutes and costs pennies. It wins court cases, jails bad guys and liberates innocent people.

It shows us the connection we all have as a species of human across the planet and the origins we all share. DNA research has become so mainstream, even childrens toys come in representations of DNA to teach kids about the instructions for the building blocks of life. With this interest in youth, the future is bright. From DNA detecting disease at the earliest possible moment to taking preventive measures to maybe, one day, eliminating the disease all together with DNA specific medicine and treatment.

From the beginnings and the rocky road out of the gate to the bright future and the attempt at leveling opportunities for all Americans and humans in general, DNA is an important field to understand on the most basic level for humans to appreciate similarities in themselves as a species on Earth.

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What is DNA? A look at the basics - Williston Daily Herald