Some traits you were born with -- your eye color and hair color, for example -- come from your genes. They’re molecules – scientists need a microscope to see them -- that carry information passed down from your parents. It’s called DNA, and most is the same for everybody. But a small percentage of it is yours alone. Those differences help determine how you look, the way your body works, your risk for diseases, and your personality.
As men get older, if they gain a lot of weight or become heavy drinkers, their genes can change. If passed down, those changes may raise their kids’ -- or even grandkids’ -- chances of getting conditions like autism, diabetes, and cancer.What you eat and how much you exercise isn’t the whole story when it comes to your size. Your DNA also may play a part. Scientists have found that some people’s genes nudge them toward a higher-than-healthy weight.
Researchers in Japan say people share about 14,000 genes -- or roughly 70% of their genetic makeup -- with tiny acorn worms. These creatures live in the water and breathe through slits in their guts similar to fish gills. There’s evidence those slits evolved into our jaw, tongue, voice box, and throat muscles.If all this makes you wonder about what could be hiding in your DNA, remember this: Your health, personality, and looks are based on many things, including your genes.