MAD SCIENCE

Massive DNA Study Seeks Insight

As 500 international scientists collaborate on a new encyclopedia.

A project by more than 500 scientists from around the globe has provided an immense amount of new information on how our DNA functions. DNA is commonly known as the vessel of genes, but these only comprise 2 percent, while little is known about the rest—until now. The report, released Wednesday, finds that so-called "junk" DNA—the 80 percent of genetic blueprints once thought useless—may actually play a large part in disease. One organizer compared the project to Google Maps, calling it “the first global view of how the genome functions” that sheds light on the inner workings of DNA. The National Human Genome Research Institute organized the research into an encyclopedia and will probably be rewriting textbooks in the near future.