Re: Questions...

Dear Teachers and kids at Millburn Middle School,

Thanks for posting your questions. We set up the discussion area in hopes that participants would, in fact, do this.

With regard to the first question about the frequency of dominant traits. Answering this is one of the major project objectives! It is great to hear you ask this. The fact that you did ask indicates that you discovered from your data that dominant traits do not necessarily occur most frequently.

The answer has to do with other questions (can you tell that I was a teacher?). What determines whether a trait is dominant or recessive? Does it have to do with the DNA?

Does how often any trait occurs in a population have anything to do with the DNA? Or does it have to do with some environmental factor?

White forelocks are white. I'll bet you didn't expect such a simple answer! Until you examine the data submitted by the other schools (or past data in teacher's area), you cannot tell whether or not your finding few people with white forelocks is due to your small sample size or to low frequency of the gene that controls the trait.

Excellent question about data reliability. Yes, I have found that these two traits can be difficult to work with. It does take some practice to look for the distinctions. Thumbs are definately easier than pinkies. People with straight thumbs generally cannot bend the thumb joint downward into an arc. In some people, the distal joint (the one furthest from the hand) bends inward (towards the fourth finger).

I hope that some of the other participants see your posting and join in this discussion. That is one of the great things about collaborative projects.

Neil Holzman, Project Leader