Have you ever been told that you look like your mother or your father? Or perhaps they say that you share some common traits or features with your uncles, aunts or grandparents? Ever wondered why they say so? A few weeks ago we attempted to explain how our five senses work together to help us identify each individual as different from each other. Even then, what is it that still makes us look similar to our parents?
The answer lies in ‘genes’ (pronounced the same as jeans) that are present in our deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA. You may say that these genes are like painters. They decide whether to add curly or straight hair, give us long or short legs, or even specific details like the colour of our hair and eye!
Now to think of it, the way you look, see things, behave, and emotionally react, and those thousands of characteristics that differentiate you from other humans is probably due to a slight variation in portions of your DNA! Pretty incredible, right?
What if we tell you that you can extract your own DNA at home and that too using only some simple household items?
Interested? Let’s dig in.
First, gather these items:
That is your DNA
If this experiment was exciting for you, let’s go a step further and try out the same experiment using strawberries. Why strawberries? That is because they have eight copies of each chromosome (they are octoploid). That’s a LOT of DNA to isolate!
So what happened in both the experiments? The dish soap dissolved the cell membranes to get to that genetic material. The salt broke down the nucleic acids into something a bit more manageable. And your DNA, which is not soluble in the alcohol, got exposed.
There you go. You now know the secret (and perhaps the easiest!) way to extract DNA.
Do these experiments intrigue you to learn more about DNA? You can watch this video on DNA and learn all about it.
Liked this story? Try our more such fun DIY experiments at your home.
Books are Tanaya Goswami’s first love and cheesecakes come a close second. Talking about movies, music, calligraphy, politics, and Elon Musk will get you listed under the friends’ section of her diary. Ever since moving on from her job as an English lecturer, she spends her time at BYJU’S crafting stories filled with emotion and sprinkled with sarcasm. Outside of work, she’s either learning something new (French, most recently!) or is curled up with a book and a cup of coffee. She firmly believes that discovering what you don’t know is the key to knowledge and is constantly working towards improving herself. Drop in a line at storyweavers@byjus.com if you liked her stories, have something nice to say, or if you have compelling ideas to share!
Arya C is a 4th grader who talks about her transition from the US to India and how BYJU`S has helped her at that. She also loves how BYJU`S has made learning a lot more fun.
Meet Sourabh who has a ton to say about his BYJU`S learning experience. His love for quizzes, games and other fun activities are paying off!
V Shriya is a class eight student who has been using BYJU’S for a year now. She shares her experiences with using the app and how it has helped her in improving her academic performance.
Aanvi from class 9 has been with BYJU`S for just 6 months and hear what she has to say about her learning experience with the app.
Comments
Maithreyi Devanathan
February 16, 2021
OMG super……
Saumya singh
January 20, 2021
Its gorgeous!!Byjus is amazing
PEARL ABIGAIL
January 3, 2021
It’s amazing. I have never heard of such interesting DIY
Shravani
December 28, 2020
nice information team BJYU’S
I didn’t knew that genes is written as genes and pronounced as jeans. I always thought genes is written as jeans. haha……
nice experiment……especially the first one.
(and someone in the comments asked what is DIY. DIY is Do it yourself )
LILY CHOUDHARY
December 26, 2020
this is very exciting and informative….
Anushree More
December 20, 2020
Really awesome and fascinating experiment ….never thought DNA could be extracted from my body and that too at my home….!!!!!!!! So really thankful to Byjus…..
Shravya
December 17, 2020
Wow it’s an amazing experiment ????
Thank you for sharing ? really interesting ??
Utkarsh
December 11, 2020
I have joined byju 1 year ago and I am loving it
KRISHNAPRIYAN
December 11, 2020
Great!!!!!
Autoshi kayal
December 7, 2020
Great ?
VISHAL
December 1, 2020
very intersting and a nice expariment to spend time in lockdown
Hima
November 28, 2020
I love these experiment. I am waiting to do more of these.
Hima
November 28, 2020
I love these experiment. I am waiting to do more of these
Hima
November 28, 2020
I love doing these experiments at my home.
Bhumika
November 28, 2020
Amazing
Vaishnavi
November 24, 2020
DNA is very small at microscopic level .so we can’t see it with our naked eyes. Than how it is visible by performing this activity. What makes DNA visible in this activity? What happened at the microscopic level in it?
Goldi
November 19, 2020
It was very interesting.Absolutely amazing ????????????????????
Madhiarasu
November 18, 2020
Madhiarasu
I almost love the DNA topic is the awesome to learn the easy lesson to learn.
Shreya
November 11, 2020
Wow !
Harshitha vallamalla
November 10, 2020
Thank u so much for this information
Mansvi
November 10, 2020
Nice experience ….
Swechha Sharma
November 9, 2020
It’s amazing
Trishita Gupta
November 9, 2020
Wow just amazing! *Star* !
I love reading biology , dna ,atp etc …..
Diya Rajput
November 8, 2020
Best ?
Nuthan
November 6, 2020
It’s very interesting experiment.
I will try this.
Ankita
November 6, 2020
This is awesome.Thank you Byjus.
Sahithi
November 6, 2020
Awesome.
Barish Sarkar
November 5, 2020
Amazing experiment,loved it ??
v.keerthana
November 5, 2020
can we use sanitizer instead of rubbing alcohol for the DNA exp
Anshika Singh
November 5, 2020
It is really good
Shikha
November 3, 2020
So nice experiment . It’s very interesting ?
Twisha Tandel
November 3, 2020
I love to do DIY
Hanu
November 2, 2020
Super I had tried this . Super super
Crispin Chacko Albert
November 2, 2020
Wow! This is nice.
Shyam Sunder
November 2, 2020
Thanks for such a nice experimental activity…
Sreejata Chakraborty
November 2, 2020
Really , It’s a amazing experiment . I love it … ????
Kumar Subhankar
November 2, 2020
Wow ????????????????????so nice its amazing
Mitakshi Sandeep nikam
November 1, 2020
I love this I want to be a space girl????
Amit Kumar
November 1, 2020
Super????
R.T.Darshni
November 1, 2020
Byjus is very helpful and supportive and I explore more in byjus after I joined in byjus I have started to asking more questions and I want some more events in byjus please call me after watching this comment. and I want some more events please give me a link that goes into byjus live classes.thank you.
Abhispita Kashyap
November 1, 2020
Omg soooo amazing
I will surely try this
Then I will havey family’s dna?.
V .Divyaa dharsini
November 1, 2020
Super?????????????
Kamalika
November 1, 2020
Super mam it’s really great
Raja Babu
November 1, 2020
Super se ve uper
Alna kunjumon
November 1, 2020
Thankyou byju,’s
Samadrita Sen
October 31, 2020
Wow…so knowledgeable
Bhavi Rathore
October 31, 2020
Just shocked!!!!!!!!!!??
Bhavi Rathore
October 31, 2020
Loved that ??
Chayan Khatua
October 31, 2020
Fantastic
Keshika
October 31, 2020
That was really amazing one ! I love it ! ????
Evelyn
October 31, 2020
This is really interesting
Dharun
October 30, 2020
Super❤❤
Rajdeep Kundu
October 30, 2020
Really ,very interesting experiment
Swastik Maity
October 30, 2020
Happy to aquire knowledge from Byju’s ……
I came to know many things about DNA …..
Thank you Byju’s…..
Swastik Maity
October 30, 2020
Really interesting
Mrunal Sandeep Gadhe
October 30, 2020
Wow it is very interesting information about DNA.?
NK Das
October 30, 2020
Really interesting ❤️❤️❤️
Parvathi Ajayakumar
October 30, 2020
Its really amazing…………..??
satyam Kumar bishwas
October 30, 2020
Amazing experiment ? ?
Darwin
October 30, 2020
Asome cool and easy!!!???!!!
AYUSH
October 29, 2020
I like this experiment very much. Thanks BYJU’S.
Sneha chirakkal
October 29, 2020
Awsome idea! ?
Anukriti Rajak
October 29, 2020
Thank you for providing this SUPER CREATIVE & INTERESTING experiment ???
Have a joyful day ahead
Anukriti
Mahathi Muthu
October 29, 2020
OMG!!! It’s really a stunning experiment and I haven’t heard something like this till now.
Thank you byju’s??
Gopalghare Ujwal
October 29, 2020
Great!!!! I Like It
Mayank antil
October 29, 2020
I did this.
It’s intresting
Harsha
October 29, 2020
It’s too niceee & awsm I never thought of this, It’s really exciting to do. I thank the Author alot!
Steven Darshan Shaiju
October 28, 2020
Really surprising to see the DNA…
Hanish sharma
October 28, 2020
V.very nice.
Jason
October 28, 2020
You always give us amazing DIYs and this is one of them. Thank you team byjus!
Jason
October 28, 2020
I never thought I would see my DNA!! This is one must-do activity!!
Ayush Ranjan
October 28, 2020
V.good
Rutuja Masal
October 28, 2020
Wow! Superb! Really so good and useful information.so nice experiments.
Astha
October 28, 2020
Superb!!!???
Payal Singh
October 28, 2020
I actually try it and it was so great. Now I can preserve my DNA . Great work byjus ☺️
Sai sreeja
October 28, 2020
I really interesting to do this thanks for giving the process
Spandan
October 28, 2020
Awesome work Byju’s!!!!!
Love you Byju’s??
Spandan
October 28, 2020
Awesome work Byju’s
Love you Byju’s??
Parvathy Biju
October 28, 2020
Wow!! Obviously gonna try this!?
Tanvi Roy
October 27, 2020
I tried it
Cakes out great
Rima Kumari
October 27, 2020
Amazing!!???
Sindhu.
October 27, 2020
Amazing
Drushti Sakhare
October 27, 2020
Wow!……..it was such a amazing experiment that I have never heard and seen before. I’ll surely try it.
Aarshi Rai
October 27, 2020
I have made the dna it was amazing ?
Palak Beniwal
October 27, 2020
It’s so amazing . I always wait for next DNA experiment
I love it so so so much ??
Piyush gautam
October 27, 2020
Amazing experiment
Sreehari.R
October 27, 2020
Super I liked it
Kritika patel
October 26, 2020
Wow !!! Great !!! I will surely do it …
Shikha Rao
October 26, 2020
Wow it’s very nice ???
Maitrayee Sil
October 26, 2020
Amazing ??.
Shashi
October 26, 2020
It was very interesting! Can you also tell us about telescope?
Aarav Ahuja
October 26, 2020
It is amazing , but I don’t have cold rubbing alcohol . Thanks byju’s for this lovely Experiment
Patricia G
October 26, 2020
Fascinating ?
Saurabh
October 26, 2020
He is absolutely sensesnal
Deepak Kumar Hansda
October 26, 2020
It was too much fun with learning about (DNA) really really awesome.
Sanika Kendre
October 26, 2020
Wow!!! What a invention!
I got totally shocked after reading this ?
I will surely try this one??
Shrinwanti
October 26, 2020
OMG ?????????
I love it. After doing this experiment ,I am getting interest in Biology ?????????
Bhawna rawat
October 26, 2020
Oh my god! This is so interesting. I think I have to do this. Thank you byju’s very much.
Bhawna rawat
October 26, 2020
Oh my god! This is so interesting. I think I have to do this.???
Aastha
October 26, 2020
Wow! I am surprised!
A great DIY!
Sidra
October 25, 2020
Ooo i just loving this DIY thank you byjus for this ❤
D. Adiba Noorain
October 25, 2020
Amazing
Akshayv
October 25, 2020
A sure
R.Hemavathi
October 25, 2020
Really, I love it Byju’s ….. Thanks for giving such interesting and useful blogs….
Shruti sahare
October 25, 2020
OMG ?❤️
It is really fun ?
I have never seen before?
And now I understand Dna
Skanda
October 25, 2020
Cool..
Il give it a try???
Anishka Sharma
October 25, 2020
This is an easy experiment with daily usage things things at home l tried it was so fascinating and easy also. Please you try also. Happy dussehra??
Tanya shrivastava
October 25, 2020
What can we use instead of rubbing alcohol
Chintan Rohit Surana
October 25, 2020
Loved this now I can also put this idea on my youtube channel
Channel name
Crazie I EXPERIMENTS
Loved this
I done now
Jamin Nayak
October 25, 2020
OMG???
Harsh kumar singh
October 25, 2020
Amazing ???
Devarakonda Bhargavi
October 25, 2020
Wow !! Great experiment !!??
Aditi
October 25, 2020
thankyou Byju’s
Aditi
October 25, 2020
supper helpfull
and intresting
I would love to explor more about DNA
Adyasha
October 25, 2020
Wow! Amazing D.I.Y!! Amazing experiment!! Thank you Byju’s ??????
Iqra Amjad
October 25, 2020
OMG!!! What a curious facts… I love DNA
Anushka Sharma
October 25, 2020
Wow!
Great expriment
Sheetal Jain
October 25, 2020
It’s awesome??
Shipra Shill
October 25, 2020
??so nice
Shipra Shill
October 25, 2020
So nice ,?
Archi Jais
October 24, 2020
Wow it’s fabulous. I have no words.
Great thing which I learned today
Aishani Singh
October 24, 2020
This activity is really good!
This activity is special for me because I only love science because of the DNA
Samruddhi
October 24, 2020
You always do welfare of students and make future thank you so much
Ruben Mathew
October 24, 2020
This is great
HarshVardhan Singh Yadav
October 24, 2020
I can’t believe it.
Amazing??
Thank you BYJU’S for giving me such a nice knowledge.?
Thank you so much!
Bhumi Singh
October 24, 2020
OMG !!! It’s great ☺️ we can see our DNA by not doing much and I just loved to learn ? about DNA….
Saanvi
October 24, 2020
*one of my dreams
Saanvi
October 24, 2020
I always wanted to see my DNA! Though I rather imagined it to be literally colourful as seen in diagram! Guess of my dreams actually came true!??
Srishaa
October 24, 2020
Really i love on reading about dna
Sayanthpv
October 24, 2020
Amazing
Kanak Malkoti
October 24, 2020
Nice? sure I will give it a try ?
Sakshi Singh
October 24, 2020
Amazed to know… DNA could be extracted at home… I had heard earlier about the experiment of extracting DNA of strawberries but haven’t expected that this could work for humans as well… I am going to try this… Really Like the content…??
Anam
October 24, 2020
I didn’t know that what is dna but after seeing this I understood everything.
Love you byju’s
Divya
October 24, 2020
Wow,.,.,.,.,. It was really great reading this activity ?????????
Charanjeet Kaur
October 24, 2020
It so fantastic, easy, and most importantly learnable…..
Thank you byjus!
Hemanth
October 24, 2020
What is DIY
What is this explain
Sanvi Tiwari
October 24, 2020
Oh My God ????
Never expected this kind of experiment Means DNA at home seriously . Amazing ????
Great …………
I’ll surely try this .??
#JAY31
October 24, 2020
Oh Wow! What if I store my DNA today and I become a star tomorrow ?? My DNA will be kept for years!!!????
Aswathi
October 24, 2020
OMG
DNA in a glass …….
Great !!
Thank you BYJUS for this wonderful DIY
Aditya R Hegdekatte
October 24, 2020
Its just fantastic expiriment.
Mehatab
October 24, 2020
Mashallah????
It’s amazing that we can discover our own DNA????????????
Aadya L
October 24, 2020
One of the best teachings I have got ……. Expecely in lockdown I have utilised it a lot . I have received a lenovo tablet ……., which is helping me out in many ways for my studies …. I am thankful for the Byjus team and the teachers for all there best services .
And last but not least….. the experiment was great !!
Aanya Sinha
October 24, 2020
It’s a good activity . I really loved it.??
prit patil
October 24, 2020
So good experiment i love that
srivarshini.
October 24, 2020
A very funny experiment never listened before,
And an interesting info about DNA
pragya bhatnagar
October 24, 2020
wow….. it was awsome…..
Rimi
October 24, 2020
Wow….loved to read this DNA ….
And really lam gonna try this
Utkarsh
October 24, 2020
I try it
It is very very easy??
Jyotsana Kumari
October 24, 2020
Very nice..??????
Bhavishya
October 24, 2020
I am excited about DNA and then after reading it is wonderful ❤️?and byjus thanks for this??
Manasa
October 24, 2020
wow!!?
Yash Raj
October 24, 2020
It can effect in our body? We can drink our dna again
Harinandh. P
October 24, 2020
Amazing✌️?✌️
Abhishek Pawaskar
October 24, 2020
What a interesting information it is.
Nanditha.K.V
October 24, 2020
That’s great, fabulous
Shweta Singh
October 24, 2020
Fantastic!
As I would like to do this experiment, I have all the materials except rubbing alcohol. Kindly advice where can I get it? Is it available at home in some other form, we are not aware of?
Yashraz Mandal
October 24, 2020
I Love to do some new experiments so I will try it. Thanks BYJU’S for sending me this amazing experiment.?????????????????????????
ZainabKazi
October 24, 2020
OMG ? that’s great ??
ZainabKazi
October 24, 2020
Omg it’s so amazing.such a nice experiment ✨?
Caroline Faria
October 24, 2020
Omg this experiment is exciting. I’ll do it!
YADUKRISHNAN
October 24, 2020
Wow super thank you byju’s for giving me such a knowledge…….???
Nitish
October 24, 2020
WOW???
Shaafiya
October 24, 2020
??
Pooja .v
October 24, 2020
Wow , amazing. Very creative and awesome.
Vansh dhar diwan
October 24, 2020
Wow !!??
Aayush joshi
October 24, 2020
Wow that was great I did not know before how to check DNA at home but now I got how to check I am very thankful to Byjus for telling me such a great information
Aaditya Jadhav
October 24, 2020
I haven’t tried it yet but it does seem awesome! I love doing research on microscopic substances. They are pretty amazing!
Vineet Singh
October 24, 2020
This is awesome!!! It gives me a lot information about DNA. Thanks Byju’s Diy.???
PRITHIKA
October 24, 2020
Wowww thank you for the information
Arth Barnawal
October 24, 2020
Unbelievable data ? a good experiment at free time
Swastik Banerjee
October 24, 2020
Good and useful, and also very interesting??.
Samriddhi Dubey
October 24, 2020
Oh my goddddd!!!! Where do you guys find these unique new experimentsss…
Rachita ✌️
October 24, 2020
Wow !! What an info. about DNA and an amazing DIY!! Loved it ??
Sanchita Chandangirwar
October 24, 2020
Wow?! Beautiful
Tahreem
October 24, 2020
Amazing. ???
Swastik Banerjee
October 24, 2020
It’s very useful and very happy to read the unknown facts about DNA. I really found it very interesting?? and good??. ?
Krishav Raj
October 24, 2020
??OMG!? it’s ? awesome ??
??And? very ?nice.??
Jay Prakash Mehta
October 24, 2020
I really like this type of experiments & I have never heard this type of experiments
BHAVANA P
October 24, 2020
Fabulous?
Gayatri santosh mhaske
October 24, 2020
It is very nice ? amazing
Siddhi Pravin Bothe
October 24, 2020
Good it is
Prachi yadav
October 24, 2020
Very nice.
I definitely try it.
Awesome diy
Sejal Sharma
October 23, 2020
It’s really amazing!!??
Anjani Jha
October 23, 2020
This was so much fun I was so bored in my house and then my mom just told me that there is message from byju’s and I thought that it’s a message about studies and then when I opened it up I got so excited and I tried it and it worked so now it’s in my fridge thank you so much byju’s
Krishna periwal
October 23, 2020
Omg really great a great expirement
Gurkirat Singh Mann
October 23, 2020
It is nice method,
But l’ve already eaten DNA(deoxyribonucleic acid)
Amrita
October 23, 2020
OMG auch nice
ShreyashiMishra
October 23, 2020
I also try to make my DNA, it is very interesting experiments.?
S.RITHIK KRISHNA
October 23, 2020
I liked to read about dna
Abhinav L G
October 23, 2020
Super ❤️❤️
Hiiya Ramwani
October 23, 2020
It’s absolutely amazing ???????
Rk trupthi
October 23, 2020
Nice
Sadhana
October 23, 2020
Wow !!! Great !!!! I just love reading about DNA(deoxyribonucleic acid). ??
Saksham Raj Singh
October 23, 2020
Looking at the stars
Thinking about my life
It was good when we were kids
It was legit no worries and no tension
– STUDENT
Shrishti Dey
October 23, 2020
Really…interesting
Desheeba Nehal Odakkal
October 22, 2020
OMG! Grt?