Week 2 Day 5 Genome Chapter 1 Summary: Life

In the first chapter of the book Genome by Matt Ridley, Ridley introduced the word that builds up the world.  Later, he reveals the word to be RNA, not DNA.  This first chapter is the introduction to the beginning, with RNA.  RNA is more chemically active than DNA, but it is more unstable.  Perhaps many prehistoric organisms came up with DNA through the trial and error process.  Ridley briefly explained the correlation between RNA and DNA within the human genome, and some scientists' discovery in relations with RNA and DNA.  Ridley also brings up LUCA, the Last Universal Common Ancestor, which is believed to be a protozoan, rather than bacteria.  Ridley concludes this chapter with the explanation that the human genome is made up of the genetic code of DNA.