Re: Maxium inter-human DNA difference?

On Sun, 10 Feb 2008 15:08:52 -0500 (EST), Cat <typingcat@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

Hello. This is not a serious, or scholastic question, but just out of
simple curiosity. It is said that there are only 5% DNA differences
between a human and a chimpanzee. The other day, I saw a tv program,
and a scientist said that a human and a squirrel have 70% of the DNA
in common.

Now, what could be the maxium DNA difference between two persons? For
example, between an African and a Caucasian? Or between a male and a
female? I know that all human races belong to one species. So I guess
it should be small.

Well, males have a Y chromosome and females don't. That alone is a
big genetic difference. It could reasonably be argued that the genetic
difference between a male human and a male chimp is about the same as
that between a male human and a female human.
William L Hunt

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