Humanity Gene Found?

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Posted by ryuzaki0 on Friday September 1, 2006 @08:10AM from the we-win-evolution dept.

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."

10 of 231 comments (clear)

Speaking of Bars by iluvcapra · 2006-09-01 08:19 · Score: 4, Funny

Can't get enough of the wonderful DUF.

--
Don't blame me, I voted for Baltar.
DUF1220 slashdot handle by lems1 · 2006-09-01 08:21 · Score: 5, Funny

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

--
This sig can be distributed under the LGPL license
1. Re:DUF1220 slashdot handle by dUf1220 · 2006-09-01 10:22 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  ha ha! foiled you!
2. Re:DUF1220 slashdot handle by dUf1220 · 2006-09-01 10:32 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  ha ha! (you get the point)
Re:Carbon copies? by elgee · 2006-09-01 08:22 · 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.
In other news... by Evro · 2006-09-01 08:32 · Score: 5, Funny

RIAA and MPAA members found lacking new gene...

--
rooooar
Great.... by TrebleJunkie · 2006-09-01 08:36 · 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.

--
Ed R.Zahurak

You know, oblivion keeps looking better every day.
Whats the opposite of DUF? by CrazyJim1 · 2006-09-01 08:39 · Score: 4, Funny

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

--
God spoke to me.
Let's Uplift the Three-Toed sloth! by StefanJ · 2006-09-01 08:51 · 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.
Not as widely reported, but still interesting by g1zmo · 2006-09-01 09:34 · 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^)

--
I have found there are just two ways to go.
It all comes down to livin' fast or dyin' slow. -REK, Jr.