Where do genes come from? - Carl Zimmer

When life emerged on Earth about 4 billion years ago, the earliest microbes had a set of basic genes that succeeded in keeping them alive. In the age of humans and other large organisms, there are a lot more genes to go around. Where did all of those new genes come from? Carl Zimmer examines the mutation and multiplication of genes.

Lesson by Carl Zimmer, animation by TOGETHER.

[TAK-yjhj]

When a daddy gene and a mama gene love each other very much...

[WildberryCrunch]

Also, things like retroviruses can insert their own genetic material into a host's genome, and sometimes that can get passed down to later generations resulting in an organism getting new genetic information. It is not always harmful information that is encoded.

[carpo]

The question still remains.... where do they come from?
  We can't just say "Microbes had the 'basic' genes....then it evolved".
Where did those basic genes come from? How were they created?

[mayaholdaway]

OH MY GOSH! Thank you so much!!!! I'm leaning about Genetics in science right now and I'm having a hard time, but I just found an entire playlist explaining genetics!!!! Thank you :D

[antoniolife]

According to this video, genes are made by genes; where do the genes that make the genes come from?

[Saibrock]

This video is called "Where do genes come from?" but when it comes to actually answering the question, there's a hand-wave statement about how the first life forms just had them already.

[yashavadhwal]

This channel is one of my favorites...

[johnbollenbacher]

The title should be: Where do new genes come from?

[peterthepanda]

Why is diarrhea a genetic disorder?



Because it runs in your jeans.

[Velociter]

I have a gene that tells the cells in my small intestine to never stop making the enzyme lactase. This helps me digest the sugar found in milk, called lactose, and gives me the ability to consume milk and dairy even after infancy.

[Orion]

Been thinking awhile how the genes come from and finally for this informative video. Thank Ted.

[NickYT]

EDIT: I was a bit overzealous 5 years ago when I made this comment. Apologies for the big reaction to such a small error.



0:26 "An Oak tree has genes for chlorophyll, which turn sunlight into wood."

Please be more specific than this. Just because I know what you're trying to say doesn't mean that someone just learning about photosynthesis will understand.

Wood is NOT transformed sunlight. Wood is created using the ENERGY from sunlight, but the matter itself comes from the AIR and very partially from the soil. When you pick up a log, you do not say that it "is" sunlight. It's much more appropriate to say it "is" air.

Now, when you BURN wood, you CAN argue that the fire you're seeing is "stored" sunlight!

[kmmorey]

I found this very disappointing because the title led me to expect that I'd hear some theories about how RNA and DNA arose initially during the evolution of life. Alas, there's not a word about that.

[Ionizap]

Interesting and makes me think of this: Apparently in humans the gene GULO for synthesizing Vitamin C has been turned off/damaged for some time hence Scurvy. I wonder if we could turn it on again by repairing the gene. Scary I guess isn't a problem in the modern day.

[KrzysztofKotarba]

that was great info...
when I can get Wolverine's healing mutation?

[rjday]

Random jeans can also be picked up from the Thrift store

[Daniel-czkd]

Hello 👋 Carl, interesting 🤔 video and nicely put together, two problems, one last I checked a tree’s chlorophyll is to turn sun ☀️ light, with other ingredients, into sugar to eat; two you explained nicely about mutations if that is your explanation, but failed to specify where the genes 🧬 come from, as in the letters to make the code, the proteins to hold them together and the chemicals to actually make them work in the first place; or is that not the title of the video.

[sp]

just remember, if you are feeling suicidal, don't do it. your ancestors worked super hard into giving you a perfectly unique body

[iSirButters]

Good video. In before religious flame wars.

[vijayarya]

Can you make a video about why the skin hardens and makes a hard tissue? And what are the ways to get rid out of it? Also, mention the medical ways and natural ways (if there any). Will you please do it?