The “Junk DNA” Debate (CT Scan, Episode 72)

Is most of our DNA “junk” leftover from evolution? Some people still say so, despite research suggesting that most of the human genome is biochemically active. Let’s think biblically and critically about “junk DNA” arguments and explore some recent advances in the “junk DNA” debate.
___________

DIGGING DEEPER
• Purdom, G. (2014). Decoding the Debris. https://answersingenesis.org/genetics/junk-dna/decoding-debris/
• All “junk DNA” articles: https://answersingenesis.org/genetics/junk-dna/
• All genetics articles: https://answersingenesis.org/genetics/
• Tomkins, J. (2019) The Secondary Language That Leaves Evolutionists Speechless. https://answersingenesis.org/genetics/secondary-language-leaves-evolutionists-speechless/
• Book: Sanford, J. C. (2005). Genetic entropy & the mystery of the genome. Ivan Press. https://answersingenesis.ca/store/product/genetic-entropy-mystery-genome/
• DVD: The Wonder of DNA https://answersingenesis.ca/store/product/wonder-dna/ (Watch online for free at the end of this article: https://answersingenesis.org/genetics/dna-similarities/dna-a-summary/)
___________

CITED REFERENCES
• ENCODE Project Consortium. (2012). An integrated encyclopedia of DNA elements in the human genome. Nature, 489(7414), 57-74.
• Ecker, J. R., Bickmore, W. A., Barroso, I., Pritchard, J. K., Gilad, Y., & Segal, E. (2012). ENCODE explained. Nature, 489(7414), 52-54.
• Diep, F. (2013). Friction over Function: Scientists Clash on the Meaning of ENCODE’s Genetic Data. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/friction-over-function-encode/
• Doolittle, W. F., & Brunet, T. D. (2017). On causal roles and selected effects: our genome is mostly junk. BMC biology, 15(1), 1-9.
• Graur, D. (2017). Rubbish DNA: The functionless fraction of the human genome. In Evolution of the Human Genome I (pp. 19-60). Springer, Tokyo.
• Kellis, M., Wold, B., Snyder, M. P., Bernstein, B. E., Kundaje, A., Marinov, G. K., ... & Dunham, I. (2014). Defining functional DNA elements in the human genome. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(17), 6131-6138.
• Pouyet, F., Aeschbacher, S., Thiéry, A., & Excoffier, L. (2018). Background selection and biased gene conversion affect more than 95% of the human genome and bias demographic inferences. Elife, 7, e36317.
• Moore, J. E., Purcaro, M. J., Pratt, H. E., Epstein, C. B., Shoresh, N., Adrian, J., ... & Halow, J. (2020). Expanded encyclopaedias of DNA elements in the human and mouse genomes. Nature, 583(7818), 699-710.
___________

FREE e-BOOK
Sign up for our email newsletter and get a free copy of Patricia’s eBook, “How to Think About Facts that Challenge your Faith”
https://answersingenesis.lpages.co/how-to-think-about-facts-that-challenge-your-faith-ebook/
___________

BLOG
See Patricia’s blog posts here: https://answersingenesis.org/blogs/patricia-engler/
___________

DONATIONS
https://answersingenesis.ca/donate
___________

ANSWERS TV
Patricia’s Critical Study Guides based on these videos are available on Answers.TV. Sign up for your free trial and check them out!

#pengleraig