10 Ways DNA Can Ruin Your Life

by Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei
Posted July 9, 2007 in DNA Fun, DNA in General

In a bid to take myself out of the running for an Overselling Genomics Award, I present to you 10 ways DNA can f*** up your life. (Excuse the swearing, I figure that I come across like a Pollyanna too much of the time.)

10. You could get a mutation in your DNA from sun damage, smoking, or just plain living.

9. You inherited faulty DNA (disease-causing gene).

8. Your DNA matches the DNA found at a crime scene.

7. The prosecution withheld DNA test results from your defense attorneys.

6. Your DNA didn’t match the DNA of the person who you thought was your parent.

5. The results from your Y-DNA genealogy test showed that you were missing the DSY464 marker which means you’re infertile and…your daughter is not your daughter.

4. The wrong person’s DNA was found in your husband’s underwear.

3. You donated sperm anonymously but your offspring tracked you down anyway using genealogy DNA testing.

2. Terrorists alter the DNA in bacteria to create bioweapons and perpetrate mass genetic bioviolence on us all.

1. You make DNA and all things related to DNA your life.

Tags: humor, genetics, genes, dna, genome, genomics

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6 Comments »

Comment by Blaine Bettinger

2007-07-09 22:50:43

Overselling genomics? Overselling genomics! Until now, I didn’t even know it was possible!

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Comment by Hsien

2007-07-11 10:57:45

I find you, Blaine Bettinger, guilty! hahaa

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Comment by g-a-b

2007-07-10 04:52:17

You could get a piece of DNA stuck between your teeth

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Comment by Hsien

2007-07-11 10:58:06

g-a-b, That’s a given!

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Comment by David Bradley

2007-07-10 10:21:05

Or you could get caught in a perpetual annual loop in which the only interesting DNA science experiment being demonstrated during Cambridge Science Week is the extraction of gobbets of DNA from a kiwi fruit. Fascinating the first time you see it, but it gets a bit samey year after year. Perhaps they could try guava, or pawpaw in 2008…

db

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Comment by Hsien

2007-07-11 10:58:56

What a waste of time! They should put those kids to work extracting DNA from criminals.

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