Genome Challenge

Discover some of the most fundamental differences between living things and ask the question: what really counts for complexity?

Every living organism has a genome – a set of genetic information that makes it the way it is. Genetic differences are what makes all life unique. The size of the genome within an organism can vary greatly. Even within that, the number of genes (individual instructions) is also often different. This activity challenges misconceptions around ‘complexity’ in the natural world. By sorting organisms, based on the size of their genomes and the number of genes they have, you can begin to see more levels of genomic complexity in the world around us.

There are multiple sets of organisms to choose from, each with its own theme, so why not try them all!

Age: 11-18 (KS3+)