Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
DNA
Table of Contents
Introduction & Top Questions References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images & Videos
initial proposal of DNA structure
genetically modified humans
How DNA influences inherited traits
DNA structure DNA strands polynucleotide chain of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
Explore Paul Rothemund's DNA origami and its future application in medical diagnostics, drug delivery, tissue engineering, energy, and the environment
Finding prehistoric family ties with modern DNA
model of a DNA molecule human genome; whole genome sequencing
Related Questions
Read Next
Endoplasmic reticulum. cell biology
6 Cell Organelles
DNA strands on blue background
What Is the Difference Between DNA and RNA?
DNA helix in a futuristic concept of the evolution of science and medicine.
6 Questions About DNA Answered
Discover
Los Angeles Police Department wanted flyer on Elizabeth Short, aka the "Black Dahlia," who was brutally murdered in January 1947. The FBI supported the Los Angeles Police Department in the case, including by identifying Short through her fingerprints that
America’s 5 Most Notorious Cold Cases (Including One You May Have Thought Was Already Solved)
green digital binary symbols
What Comes After Terabyte?
Gills of three old specimens of webcap fungus (Cortinarius) in Gloucestershire, South West England. toxic, fungi, poisonous mushroom
7 of the World’s Most Poisonous Mushrooms
Statue of Nostradamus
Nostradamus and His Prophecies
World Data Locator Map: Australia
Is Australia an Island?
Figure 13: A Maxim machine gun, belt-fed and water-cooled, operated by German infantrymen, World War I.
7 Deadliest Weapons in History
Vietnam War. Operation Georgia. U.S. Marines bombing bunkers and tunnels used by the Viet Cong. May 6, 1966
9 Questions About the Vietnam War Answered

DNA: Facts & Related Content

verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/facts/DNA
Written and fact-checked by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

News •

T-Rex leather handbags could be made using fossil DNA • Apr. 25, 2025, 8:08 AM ET (The Telegraph)

Facts

Also Known As deoxyribonucleic acid

Photos and Videos

initial proposal of DNA structure
DNA structure
DNA strands
polynucleotide chain of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
model of a DNA molecule
human genome; whole genome sequencing
DNA extraction; recombinant DNA
DNA sequencing
DNA; human genome
DNA
genetically modified humans
How DNA influences inherited traits
Explore Paul Rothemund's DNA origami and its future application in medical diagnostics, drug delivery, tissue engineering, energy, and the environment
Finding prehistoric family ties with modern DNA
Uncover the genome similarities and differencess between chimpanzees and human beings
See All Videos and Images →

Related Topics and References

Topics
Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Key People

Rudolf Jaenisch
German biologist
Venter, J. Craig
J. Craig Venter
American geneticist, biochemist, and businessman
Stephen J. Elledge
American geneticist
Evelyn M. Witkin
American geneticist
Watson, James
James Watson
American geneticist and biophysicist
Kary B. Mullis
Kary Mullis
American chemist
English-born American biochemist and geneticist Jack W. Szostak.
Jack W. Szostak
American biochemist and geneticist
Ohsumi, Yoshinori
Yoshinori Ohsumi
Japanese biologist
George Gamow
American physicist
The 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry winners
Jennifer Doudna
American biochemist
Lindahl, Tomas
Tomas Lindahl
Swedish biochemist
Aziz Sancar
Aziz Sancar
Turkish-American biochemist
Elizabeth Blackburn
Elizabeth Blackburn
American molecular biologist and biochemist
Arthur Peacocke
British biochemist and theologian
Carol W. Greider
Carol W. Greider
American molecular biologist
Phillip A. Sharp, 1993.
Phillip A. Sharp
American physiologist
Crick, Francis
Francis Crick
British biophysicist
Matthew Meselson
American biologist
Rosalind Franklin
Rosalind Franklin
British scientist
Modrich, Paul
Paul Modrich
American biochemist

Related Quizzes and Features

List
Endoplasmic reticulum. cell biology
6 Cell Organelles
DNA helix in a futuristic concept of the evolution of science and medicine.
6 Questions About DNA Answered