This Kid's T-Shirt asks "Why do humans have so few genes?"

This scientific and exploratory question seeks to understand the relationship between the complexity of human beings and the relatively small number of genes that make up our genetic code. It is an inquiry into the evolutionary processes that have shaped the human genome and resulted in the unique biological characteristics that define humanity. This type of question is often asked in genetics, biology, and evolutionary science, as well as in related fields such as medicine and biotechnology. It aims to foster a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between genetics, environment, and evolution, and to identify new avenues for scientific inquiry and discovery.

In the late 1990s when biologists were unraveling the sequence of the human genome, the conventional wisdom was that we need about 100,000 genes to carry out the many cellular processes that keep us functioning. But it turns out that we have only about 25,000 genes. that is about the same number as a tiny flowering plant called Arabidopsis and barely more than the worm Caenorhabditis elegans. It then begs the question, how do so few genes produce such complexity? 

Curiask invites you to flick on your curiosity switch and go on a treasure hunt of answers, discoveries, conversations, and connections. Poignant change is here. And it starts with you!

Why do humans have so few genes?