The more we learn about the human genome, the less DNA looks like destiny. While you do inherit much from your ancestors, other factors are at work as well.
As scientists discover more about the "epigenome," a layer of biochemical reactions that turns genes on and off, they're finding that it plays a big part in health and heredity. By mapping the epigenome and linking it with genomic and health information, scientists believe they can develop better ways to predict, diagnose and treat disease.
The epigenome can change according to an individual's environment, and is passed from generation to generation.
You can read more about this story at the Wired News web site at http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,68468,00.html
