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Humanity Gene Found?

Banana_Republican writes "Nature is reporting that that multiple copies of a mystery gene may be what makes us human. It appears that humans have multiple carbon copies of a recently discovered gene that other primates lack. In particular, one sequence not so romantically or emotionally termed 'DUF1220' was mentioned . Humans carry 212 copies of DUF1220, whereas chimps have 37 copies, and monkeys have only 30 copies. Apparently the current thinking is that this gene is responsible for coding important areas of brain function."

16 of 231 comments (clear)

  1. I can see the bumper stickers now... by mpoulton · · Score: 3, Funny

    "My honor student has more copies of the DUF 1220 gene than yours!" and "Got DUF1220?"

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  2. Obligatory reference to super-brained chimps by coolgeek · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Good news everyone"

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    cat /dev/null >sig
  3. Speaking of Bars by iluvcapra · · Score: 4, Funny

    Can't get enough of the wonderful DUF.

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  4. DUF1220 slashdot handle by lems1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ok, this was going to be my new name in Slashdot but some bastard already registered it!

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    1. Re:DUF1220 slashdot handle by dUf1220 · · Score: 5, Funny

      ha ha! foiled you!

    2. Re:DUF1220 slashdot handle by dUf1220 · · Score: 4, Funny

      ha ha! (you get the point)

  5. Re:Carbon copies? by elgee · · Score: 5, Funny

    I guess they don't have DRM. Good thing as if it were up to the RIAA, there would only be one human.

  6. In other news... by Evro · · Score: 5, Funny

    RIAA and MPAA members found lacking new gene...

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    rooooar
  7. Re:Duh by Kesch · · Score: 3, Funny

    Hee hee! He said erect. *snicker*

    This post brought to you by Humans, the only organism known to make childish penis jokes. (Some Slashdotters belive DUF may be involved.)

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  8. Great.... by TrebleJunkie · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...now somebody's going to shove this thing a couple hundred times into a monkey, and it'll be fucking Planet of the Apes for real.

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    Ed R.Zahurak

    You know, oblivion keeps looking better every day.

  9. Whats the opposite of DUF? by CrazyJim1 · · Score: 4, Funny

    If DUF makes us smart, FUD must make us stupid.

  10. Re:DNF1220! by Kesch · · Score: 3, Funny

    Actually, 1220 refers to the fact that it will be released 1220 years after the second coming of Christ. (*Note: This release date is tenative and subject to change.*)

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  11. Re:Obligitory Monkey Joke by sugapablo · · Score: 3, Funny

    Obligatory Simpsons Joke:

    "DUFMan, human! OH yeah!"

  12. Let's Uplift the Three-Toed sloth! by StefanJ · · Score: 4, Funny

    Three-toed sloths are an obvious first candidate to become earth's second sapient species.

    They can be put to work installing Wi-Fi nodes and spy cameras on telephone poles.

    And if they decide to rebel against their human creators, it will be really easy to outrun them.

  13. OK, So I'm in a Bad Mood by XLawyer · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Perhaps most revealingly, transgenic mice with this gene incorporated into their genomes have been found to habitually scratch patterns on the floors of their cages that strongly resemble engineering blueprints for a flamethrower."

  14. Not as widely reported, but still interesting by g1zmo · · Score: 4, Funny

    Humans carry 212 copies of DUF1220, whereas chimps have 37 copies, and monkeys have only 30 copies.

    Corporate CEOs carry between 3-6 copies of the gene, and no one has yet to find a middle management specimen exhibiting even a single instance.

    In addition, a representative sample of Slashdot readers was tested and there was a remarkably strong correlation between their karma level and copies of the gene. Digg readers came in slightly above MySpace users with 10 and 4 copies, respectively. 8^)

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