darkSpyro

If you strung out every piece of DNA in every cell of your body, it'd be long enough to reach the sun and back to earth three times. (I've heard wildly different variations of this, but I recall hearing three times in a lecture. If anyone finds any good sources for other figures please let me know.)

Humans have more bacterial cells on and in their bodies than their own body cells. This is due to bacterial cells being much smaller than somatic cells.

Viruses are so small they're able to invade/infect bacterial and other single cell organisms.

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I just felt like posting some science since this site severely lacks it. I have more of these, but I can't recall them right now.

It's only a matter of time before someone posts Onision...

Quote: QueenChrysalis

Humans and Bananas share 50-60% of their DNA. But only if you ignore all the DNA that doesn't support the argument that Humans and Bananas share 50-60% of their DNA.

That video is simplified, it's far more complex than that. DNA isn't "read" in order as the video makes out. Exons (DNA that is transcripted into RNA which is then translated into amino acids making a protein) selected by the various replication and regulation methods determine the differences between living organisms. These exons are placed anywhere along the genome. The parts of DNA that aren't transcipted into RNA for protein production are the codons, telomeres and introns.

Just putting this video here to show that DNA isn't read from the start of the molecule to the end. Even this is an oversimplified video.

Quote: ShadowMewX

I love science facts! Are you going into science as a career, Spyro Fanatic?

Yes I am. I'm currently studying laboratory medicine at university. I like all areas of science though.

Quote: ShadowMewX

Quote: Spyro Fanatic

Quote: ShadowMewX

I love science facts! Are you going into science as a career, Spyro Fanatic?

Yes I am. I'm currently studying laboratory medicine at university. I like all areas of science though.

That sounds really interesting! I'd like to go into science as a career as well, but it's so broad that I need to narrow it down to a particular field. What made you choose that area of research?

I chose it because there's always a demand for medical scientists, I'm pretty good at science and honestly, because I didn't know what else to choose at the time.

Did all of you read the title and nothing else in my first post? I don't even think it's the most interesting fact...

Quote: Eruptor100

All right all you bananas! Time to bring in the monkeys!

That's an ape. ._.

Quote: ShadowMewX

@Spyro Fanatic I think you summed up how I feel about science, tbh.

Alright, some on-topic discussion:
Quote: Spyro Fanatic

Humans have more bacterial cells on and in their bodies than their own body cells. This is due to bacterial cells being much smaller than somatic cells.

This is interesting. It makes you wonder, though...can we actually be considered humans if the majority of our cells aren't even our own? Are we just walking bacteria hosts? Discuss.

We're composed of eukaryotic (cells with membrane bound nucleus and organelles) cells whilst bacteria are prokaryotes (cells that lack a membrane bound nucleus and organelles.)

If you want to look at degrees of difference to define what makes a human and bacteria different, our eukaryotic cells split from prokaryotic cells around 2.5 billion years ago (I don't have a definite source). Bacteria and humans are in completely different domains in the taxonomic rank. Domain being the most broad biological classification which is divided into eukaryoata, bacteria and I currently can't remember the third one. (I'll edit this when I remember) Considering this split occurred so long ago, humans and bacteria can't be considered similar on the cellular level.

But that's just one way of looking at it, and depending on how others think they may have completely different methods of explaining their point.

At least you'll never be alone with all the bacteria on and in you.