Science Common Sense

946 - What is DNA, and how does it determine our traits?

Imagine you have a blueprint of a building. That blueprint tells the builders how to build the building, what materials to use, and what shape it should be. DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) is like a blueprint for your body.

DNA is a long, twisted string made up of four different kinds of "letters" (A, C, G, and T) that tell your body how to grow and what traits you should have, like blue eyes or curly hair. These "letters" are arranged in a special order, and that order decides what traits you have.

For example, if the "letters" say "make blue eyes," then your body will follow those instructions and you'll have blue eyes. If the "letters" say "make curly hair," then your body will follow those instructions and you'll have curly hair.

The "letters" in your DNA come from your parents, and that's why you might look like them or have some of the same traits. But, your DNA is unique to you, just like your fingerprints. That's what makes you, YOU.