• Question: how are identical twins the same ?

    Asked by clairep225 to David, Luna, Mark, Melanie, Probash on 17 Mar 2011 in Categories: .
    • Photo: David Pyle

      David Pyle answered on 17 Mar 2011:

      They are genetically identical and of the same gender.. One of the biologists will have a more complete answer, I’m sure!

    • Photo: Luna Munoz

      Luna Munoz answered on 17 Mar 2011:

      Shortly after fertilization of the egg, the egg splits in two. In this way, twins share 100% of their genes. However, there has been psychological research into the development of twins. The research shows that twins are more behaviourally similar when they are raised apart rather than when they are raised together. It seems that twins raised together in the same household might find ways to differentiate themselves so that others will see them as different people and not the same. When twins are raised apart, the genes may have more of an influence since the twins are not fighting against being so similar. Of course, this is a general finding and does not apply to the whole of twins living together or apart.

    • Photo: Melanie Stefan

      Melanie Stefan answered on 17 Mar 2011:

      They come from the same fertilised egg cell. So they have the same DNA (as opposed to normal siblings who share only part of their DNA). They also usually have the same upbringing, so they will be similar in things that are determined by people’s environment. But they are still two different individuals, of course.

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