Editing 1706: Genetic Testing
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
| β | [[Cueball]] has sent a DNA sample to a {{w|genetic genealogy}} company. The implied premise of the comic is that Cueball intended to send his own DNA to one of the several companies that analyze human DNA samples and provide a report as to the genetic history of that person - examples include notable/famous ancestors or relatives, ethnic background, risk factors for certain medical conditions, etc. However, the result that Cueball receives is consistent with a report for a {{w|purebred dog|dog pedigree}} test, breaking down the percentage of certain | + | [[Cueball]] has sent a DNA sample to a {{w|genetic genealogy}} company. The implied premise of the comic is that Cueball intended to send his own DNA to one of the several companies that analyze human DNA samples and provide a report as to the genetic history of that person - examples include notable/famous ancestors or relatives, ethnic background, risk factors for certain medical conditions, etc. However, the result that Cueball receives is consistent with a report for a {{w|purebred dog|dog pedigree}} test, breaking down the percentage of certain species present in a dog's ancestry. [[Megan]] suggests that Cueball has sent his sample to the wrong company. Cueball appears to agree in principle, but (seriously or jokingly - it is unclear) indicates that he intends to hedge his bets and avoid chocolate just in case he actually is, in fact, a dog. Dogs are generally susceptible to {{w|theobromine poisoning|poisoning from theobromine}}, a compound found in chocolates which causes seizures and heart failure in dogs (and many other creatures). Basically, if Cueball really is a dog, then eating chocolate could kill him. |
[https://www.quora.com/What-percentage-of-human-DNA-is-shared-with-other-things 82%] or [http://www.thehumangenome.co.uk/THE_HUMAN_GENOME/Primer.html 94%] of genes (depending on how you measure it) are shared between humans and dogs. National Geographic erroneously reported that only [http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/12/1207_051207_dog_genome.html 5%] of human DNA is shared with dogs and mice, which may have misled Randall Munroe. This leads to several possible interpretations of the comic: It is possible (as Cueball suggests in the last panel) that he is, in fact, a dog with excellent human impersonation skills, or that he somehow shares DNA with a dog. It is possible that Cueball mistakenly sent a sample of a dog's DNA (perhaps his own) somehow thinking that is the method of testing ''his own'' DNA. Perhaps Cueball submitted his own (human) DNA to a dog pedigree company and their method of testing includes a presumption of dog DNA, and therefore was able to produce this result from Cueball's sample. Or perhaps this comic is a suggestion that some DNA test companies are scams that do not even perform DNA tests, but simply send out arbitrary reports that are not based on any testing. | [https://www.quora.com/What-percentage-of-human-DNA-is-shared-with-other-things 82%] or [http://www.thehumangenome.co.uk/THE_HUMAN_GENOME/Primer.html 94%] of genes (depending on how you measure it) are shared between humans and dogs. National Geographic erroneously reported that only [http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/12/1207_051207_dog_genome.html 5%] of human DNA is shared with dogs and mice, which may have misled Randall Munroe. This leads to several possible interpretations of the comic: It is possible (as Cueball suggests in the last panel) that he is, in fact, a dog with excellent human impersonation skills, or that he somehow shares DNA with a dog. It is possible that Cueball mistakenly sent a sample of a dog's DNA (perhaps his own) somehow thinking that is the method of testing ''his own'' DNA. Perhaps Cueball submitted his own (human) DNA to a dog pedigree company and their method of testing includes a presumption of dog DNA, and therefore was able to produce this result from Cueball's sample. Or perhaps this comic is a suggestion that some DNA test companies are scams that do not even perform DNA tests, but simply send out arbitrary reports that are not based on any testing. | ||
