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What causes biological siblings to look different from one another?

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Answered by GPT-4o mini
**Claim: Biological siblings can look different from one another due to a combination of genetic variation, environmental influences, and the complex ways in which traits are inherited.**

While siblings inherit half of their genetic material from each parent, the specific combination of genes they receive can lead to significant differences in appearance. The process of genetic recombination during gamete formation results in unique assortments of genes, meaning that even siblings share only 50% of their DNA on average; they can still express different physical traits such as hair color, eye color, and height.

Additionally, environmental factors play a role in shaping physical differences between siblings. Factors such as nutrition, health, and exposure to sunlight can influence growth patterns and development, further contributing to variations in appearance.

Finally, traits do not follow simple Mendelian inheritance patterns. Many characteristics are polygenic, meaning they are influenced by multiple genes and the interactions between them. This complexity can lead to diverse phenotypes among siblings, despite their shared genetic heritage.

In summary, the combination of genetic diversity, environmental influences, and the intricate nature of trait inheritance results in biological siblings looking different from one another.

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