Why do babies not grow up to look exactly like their parents?

Babies don't grow up to look exactly like their parents because of the complex nature of genetics. Here's why:

* Each parent contributes half of their genetic material. This means that a child inherits 50% of their DNA from their mother and 50% from their father.

* Chromosomes are shuffled. During the formation of sperm and egg cells (meiosis), chromosomes are randomly mixed and matched. This means that a child doesn't just get a perfect copy of one parent's traits, but rather a unique combination of both parents' genetic material.

* Dominant and recessive genes. Some genes are dominant, meaning that they will be expressed even if the child only inherits one copy. Other genes are recessive, meaning that they will only be expressed if the child inherits two copies, one from each parent.

* Random mutations. Although rare, mutations can occur in the DNA during the formation of sperm or egg cells. These mutations can introduce new traits that weren't present in either parent.

* Environmental factors. While genes play a large role in determining a child's appearance, environmental factors can also influence their development. This includes things like nutrition, exposure to sunlight, and even stress levels.

Think of it like a deck of cards:

* Each parent has a deck of 52 cards (chromosomes) representing their genetic material.

* When a child is conceived, each parent contributes half their deck (26 cards) to form the child's complete deck of 52.

* The cards are shuffled randomly, meaning that the child inherits a unique combination of cards from both parents.

* The child might have a similar hand to one of their parents, but it won't be an exact copy.

This complex interplay of genetic factors, along with environmental influences, is why siblings can look very different from each other, and why children often resemble their parents but not exactly.

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