The following series of questions was originally designed to gauge the "DNA literacy"* of today's public. The authors of this site believe that public education in genetics is crucial to the continued development of genetics as a science. Please answer all the following questions to the best of your ability, and study the correct responses provided when you submit the form.

• True or False
  
  DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid.
  True False
  
  An ordinary human cell contains 23 chromosomes.
  True False
  
  There is a project underway to map (identify) all the genes in the human body.
  True False
  
  
• Multiple Choice
  
  Are these diseases genetic (inherited)?
  
  
  • Hemophilia
    Yes No
    
    
  • Phenylketonuria (PKU)
    Yes No
    
    
  • Sickle Cell Anemia
    Yes No
    
    
  • Mononucleosis
    Yes No
    
    
  • Huntington's Chorea
    Yes No
    
    
  • Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
    Yes No
    
    
  • Multiple Sclerosis
    Yes No
    
    
  • Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome
    Yes No
    
    
  • German Measles
    Yes No
    
    
  • Beckwith's Syndrome
    Yes No
    
    
• Yes or No
  
  Do you believe that genetic engineering should be used to eliminate disease?
  Yes No
  
  Do you believe that genetic engineering should be used to increase food production?
  Yes No
  
  Do you believe that genetic engineering should be used to clone organisms?
  Yes No
  
  

*The phrase "DNA literacy" was first used in an editorial in the British medical journal Lancet in 1989. The concept was expanded upon in The Book of Man, by Walter Bodmer and Robin McKie.

---

Created by Kate Stafford and Michael Mannor for ThinkQuest.
Return to our Homepage