• Question: why are we different

    Asked by to Anna, Elaine, Fiona, Kevin, Darren on 24 Jun 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Kevin O'Dell

      Kevin O'Dell answered on 24 Jun 2014:

      Good question, and between us we could probably write a book on this, but you are correct that people are very different from each other. There are two reasons for this:

      1: Genetics: You have 2 sets of 25000 genes that are the instructions to make you.

      2: Environment: This everything you have experienced during your life (parents, diet, teachers, friends, the weather, accidents).

      Some things about you, whether you have blue or brown eyes, what sex you are, whether you are naturally resistant to HIV, your blood group, are entirely genetic in origin. I am, and will always be, a blue-eyed, O-, HIV-susceptible male.

      However, most things about you are a mixture of genes and environment (such as height) and others much more dependent on environment with a bit of genetics (such as weight).

    • Photo: Zhiming Darren Tan

      Zhiming Darren Tan answered on 25 Jun 2014:

      Nature and nurture. Because we are different, we can (probably) also change.

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