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Experiment: DNA Madness: Extracting your Own DNA in Your Own Kitchen


mooeypoo

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The human body is an incredible machine. Though far from being perfect, we have evolved to what we are today through a process that took millions of years of mutation and natural selection.

 

There is one little piece of us, though, that holds the secret to our existence, and the history of our species: The DNA.

 

My main interest is usually physics and astronomy, but I have always been fascinated by that double-helix molecule and its meaning, both philosophically and realistically; since the beginning of Genetics the human race have progressed exponentially. It’s just, simply, amazing.

 

So when the “rogues” of “The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe” Podcast debated the history of DNA discoveries, I decided it is time for some biology experiment.

 

I am about to show you how to extract your own DNA from your own bodies in your own kitchen. Yourselves.

 

It’s aliiiiiiiiiive!

 

(Read more and watch the video...)

 

Do you have anything to say? Wish to discuss the experiment? Ask questions or criticize the method? Post and debate here!

Please don't forget you need to register to be able to post.

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Very interesting. Amazing!

I'm going to try it later.

 

But what is rubbing alcohol? I suppose it is "Alcohol 70%". Is that right?

It's sold in stores as isopropyl alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. Neither of which is sold at 70% over the counter, that's considered research grade.

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It's sold in stores as isopropyl alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. Neither of which is sold at 70% over the counter, that's considered research grade.

 

Isopropyl alcohol and hydrogen peroxide are not the same thing, and 70% isopropyl is available OTC.

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It's sold in stores as isopropyl alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. Neither of which is sold at 70% over the counter, that's considered research grade.

 

I've gotten 90% isopropyl alcohol at wal-mart to clean the lens on a dvd player

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Isopropyl alcohol and hydrogen peroxide are not the same thing, and 70% isopropyl is available OTC.

I meant that they are both sold as rubbing alcohol. Or rather, 3% hydrogen peroxide isn't really sold as rubbing alcohol, but I know a lot of people who mistakenly call it that, just because they're used to using it to clean wounds, etc.

 

The poster asked "what is rubbing alcohol" so I just wanted to make sure he knew the distinction btw isopropyl alcohol and hydrogen peroxide.

 

And you're right that isopropyl is 70%, I don't know why I got confused on that point. 70% hydrogen peroxide, however, won't be sold over the counter.

 

sorry for the confusion.

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Hey Ladeira

 

The point of saying "Rubbing Alcohol" is so that people can find it in a store. When I looked at the written directions for the experiment, some of them were uber technical, which seems to be against the point of doing an easy HOME experiment.. so in the vids I try to set things up in a way that people can find the materials easily.

 

Basically, Rubbing alcohol is not a chemical 'symbol' ;) but it is a product, and that's what it's called, it's the most available product in any store (it's the stuff you use to disinfect tools at home) and has enough concentration to fit the experiment.

 

I might consider adding the more 'chemically technical' terms to the blog posts, though, in the future, for the more chemically-oriented people :)

 

~moo

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