Gene

98% of Korean people carry a mutation in the ABCC11 gene that makes body smell nearly undetectable, and 99% have dry, flaky earwax. In contrast, 97% of Europeans and Africans have strong body odor and wet earwax. A single gene variant produces both differences simultaneously.

Corn's ancestor is teosinte, a plant resembling foxtail grass with almost nothing edible. Humans spent centuries on selective breeding, picking the best mutations, to create modern corn. Today, a single corn kernel has more nutrition than an entire ear of ancient teosinte.

Between 1–4% of modern human genes came from Neanderthals. These include the SLC16A11 gene linked to obesity and diabetes, as well as hair loss genes. The Khoisan people of southern Africa, who had no contact with Neanderthals, carry almost none of these genes.

Dogs and wolves differ by just 0.04% genetically. Part of this difference includes variations linked to Williams syndrome in humans — a condition causing extreme sociability and no hostility toward strangers. Some scientists suggest dogs may essentially be wolves with Williams syndrome.