Why you’re less than 50% human

The answer is in your genes…

The Human Genome Project's shocking discovery

Do you remember the Human Genome Project? Launched in 1990, it was a massive, international, scientific endeavor to identify, map, and sequence the entire human genome. Back then, there was a lot of excitement around the project, we couldn’t wait to learn just how BIG and impressive our genetic wealth really was. We had analyzed other, inferior species, and looked forward to finding out just how much more superior our protein-coding system really was.

Of course, we all know the answer (taught in every school) now, but just for fun, let’s take a peek at some other species, and the number of genes they carry within their non-human chromosomes… The humble Earthworm clocks in at 30,000, the Atlantic Salmon has 37,000, and the Speckled Grasshopper carries around 140,000!

By comparison, it was discovered that we, dear fellow humans, own around 20,000 genes.

These startling results were questioned, and criticized, but ultimately, they were… humbling. How can this be? How can we have less genes than a fish? We are clearly more complex beings, so how can we function with seven times less genetic information than a cricket?

Your secret weapon: Millions of microbial genes

It turns out we have a secret weapon. Our chromosomes may only carry a meager 20,000 genes, but our bodies carry millions more. This wealth of genetic information lives in our guts, on our skin, and throughout our mucus membranes. This incredible contribution to our functional capacity is provided by… drumroll please, bacteria!

The microbiota, comprising thousands of species of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and archaea, step up to perform some pretty incredible functions for us gene-poor humans. And most of us are completely oblivious to their existence. Not that ignorance is the problem, we’ve always been ignorant. Our distant, (and even near) ancestors had no idea that we had entire cities of “other beings” living inside of us.

It turns out that we co-evolved with bacteria, right from the very beginning. Whether you measure it in genetic makeup (humans: 20,000 genes - microbiota: 2-3 million genes!) or cell volume (around 30 trillion human cells to around 40 trillion bacterial cells) they’ve got us beat. Face it, friends, we’re less than half human!

The price of progress: A war on our inner allies

It was an idyllic co-existence. We went about life, unaware of this startling imbalance. We remained happy and healthy as our microbiome took care of a multitude of biological functions completely under the radar. And then we changed. While it appeared to have happened earlier, we can at least peg it to the introduction of processed foods. Milling, bleaching and processing our grains, extracting, concentrating and sweetening our juices, developing, distributing and inserting chemicals, preservatives and emulsifiers. And let’s not forget those antibiotics. Humans had evidently waged a biological war, causing massive casualties that unfortunately remained “out of sight, and out of mind.” But chronic illnesses exploded. And yes, there is a direct correlation!

What's next? Partnering with your evolutionary friends

Stay tuned for a deeper dive into this fascinating relationship with our evolutionary partners, and how you can use it to benefit your own wellness goals!

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