28 septiembre 2009

Nature: Teaching Children Genomic Concepts Using Harry Potter Vocabulary

Today I found this Correspondence published in Nature four years ago. An Australian group of researches are trying to teach some basic concepts of Genetics, at least, to anybody who wanted to learn using the world-wide known vocabulary and characters of the sequel of Harry Potter. Enjoy it!

"...This suggests that wizarding ability is inherited in a mendelian fashion, with the wizard allele (W) being recessive to the muggle allele (M). According to this hypothesis, all wizards and witches therefore have two copies of the wizard allele (WW). Harry's friends Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom and his arch-enemy Draco Malfoy are 'pure-blood' wizards: WW with WW ancestors for generations back. Harry's friend Hermione is a powerful muggle-born witch (WW with WM parents). Their classmate Seamus is a half-blood wizard, the son of a witch and a muggle (WW with one WW and one WM parent). Harry (WW with WW parents) is not considered a pure-blood, as his mother was muggle-born."

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