To truly discover what makes humans unique, scientists will have to compare the human genome with that of our closest living relative, the chimpanzee. There are about 60 million DNA-letter differences between people and chimps, Dr. Waterston said. Figuring out which of those are crucial will be challenging. Scientists also found that for every genetic mutation that women pass on to their children, men pass on two. There are two ways to look at that, Dr. Lander said.
Mothers can blame fathers for mutations.
The list of findings stemming from the human genome will continue to grow, said Dr. Eric Nestler, a neuroscientist at UT Southwestern. He likened the deciphering of the genome to chemists' assembly of the periodic table of the chemical elements. Putting together that periodic table doesn't tell you everything about chemistry. But it gives you a road map of how nature is composed. Inc. All Rights Reserved.