Chromosomes

With you, me, and in fact any human being there is a total of 46 chromosomes. These determine everything from your eye color to your personality to hereditary diseases. You inherit 26 genes from each of you parents. In fertilization they unite to create a zygote. However some people are missing some of their genes. This can cause mental illness or other diseases. Here is a list of other animals/plants and their similarities in chromosome numbers:

Organism   Number
Cabbage- 18
Cat-         38
Elephant-  56
Chimpanzee- 48

As you can see, the simpler organisms tend to have less chromosomes. Cabbage is a simple plant so
it is has less than elephants. I found it interesting that elephants are the largest land mammals so they have the most chromosomes. Chimpanzees are the most similar so they have only 2 chromosomes different from human kind.

Sites:
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/biology/evolution/genetics/dna.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_organisms_by_chromosome_count

Genetics in Food

Varieties of Heirloom Tomatoes

Example of Sicilian Lemon

There are no genetically modified foods in Serbia, however both fruits and vegetables have unique phenotypes pertaining to the area. Color, shape, size, taste are all observable phenotype differences. For example: tomatoes in Serbia are slightly different than the same variety in Mexico. Why is this so? The environment the tomatoes are grown in directly affects the characteristics of the fruit. Climate, soil, chemical exposure, and other factors influence the dominant genes of the fruit. Plants, unlike humans are affected not only by their direct "parents" but also by the surrounding area. The same or similar genetic mutations take place because of the environment. Bees or birds spread the pollen of the plant, resulting in an area with similar phenotypes. Slight differences in temperature or soil acidity will affect the phenotypes. Over time, entierly new species are developed.                              

Thai Lemon

Sites:

http://www.ras-international.org/eng/news/2011_01_no-genetically-modified-food-in-Serbia.html

Genetics

1. What are we talking about when we say "genetics"?

Genetics study genes and organisms. Genes are the hereditary traits you inherit from your parents and other ancestors. Anyone you are related to by blood can share genes with you. Genes are patterns in you DNA codes. Genes determine everything from you hair color, life span, and personality. Everyone has both dominant and recessive genes. Dominant genes are the ones that affect your personality and apperence. Recessive genes do not effect you but are passed on to your descendants. For example if two parents have dark hair and they have a blond child that means blond hair is a recessive gene. Another factor in your genetics is epigenetics. That is when the environmental effects your genes. If you are exposed to harmful substances in your environmental then it triggers harmful recessive genes. The time 9 months before and 6 years after a baby is born are the most crucial years in development. Cancerous mutations are a threat.

Burning Questions:

What do we not/ cannot clone humans?
Why does color change over time?
How do drugs or other harmful substances change your genes?
Do instincts have to do with genetics?
How does blood transfusion affect your genes?

5 Traits Deterimined By Genes:

• blue eyes (eye color)
• height
• allergies
•  personality (how calm, hyper, creative... ect. )
• immune system