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DNA: The book of you - Joe Hanson

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TEDEd Animation

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Your body is made of cells -- but how does a single cell know to become part of your nose, instead of your toes? The answer is in your body's instruction book: DNA. Joe Hanson compares DNA to a detailed manual for building a person out of cells -- with 46 chapters (chromosomes) and hundreds of thousands of pages covering every part of you.

DNA is crammed into a space nearly 1 million times smaller than itself. What does it first do to organize itself?

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Joe Hanson
  • Animator Nipun Sharma
  • Narrator Joe Hanson

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