When people think about DNA, they often picture genes that determine our physical traits, influence behavior, and keep our bodies functioning properly.
In reality, genes make up only a small fraction of our genetic material. Roughly 2% of DNA contains the approximately 20,000 genes humans carry. The other 98%, commonly referred to as the non-coding genome or “junk” DNA, holds many regulatory elements that decide when genes are switched on and how active they become.
