How are we related to chimps, mice, bananas and bacteria — and how much DNA do we share? Explore the tree of life, learn what DNA is and how genes become proteins, make mutations in a real gene, run evolution yourself and see how humans spread across the world.
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the instruction book of life. It is written with just four chemical letters — A, T, G and C — and the order of those letters tells cells which proteins to build, when and where. Every living thing uses the same code.
Tap each level, from your whole body down to a single letter.
Type letters (A, T, G, C). The matching strand appears automatically — this is how cells copy DNA: each strand is a template for the other.
Genes do nothing until they are expressed: copied into RNA and translated into protein. Step through how it happens.
Paste or type a DNA sequence. It is transcribed into mRNA and read three letters at a time using the real genetic code.
Your cells all carry the same DNA. What makes a nerve cell different from a skin cell is which genes are switched on.
This is the start of the human HBB gene, which makes the β-chain of haemoglobin. Tap a letter, then change, insert or delete it — and see what happens to the protein. Or try a real mutation.
A mutation is any change in the DNA sequence. Tap one to try it in the lab.
In 1800s England, soot blackened the trees and dark moths became common because birds could not see them. Run it yourself: choose the bark colour, how hungry the birds are and how often mutations happen, then watch natural selection work.
Test yourself on the tree of life, DNA, gene expression, mutations, evolution and human diversity. Challenge mode gives 20 seconds per question with bonus points for speed and streaks.
Type any topic (e.g. “cells for 10-year-olds”, “CRISPR”, “photosynthesis”). The AI writes the questions; check anything surprising against a textbook.
Biology Map explores the tree of life and how much DNA we share with 40+ living things, how DNA is built, how a gene becomes a protein, mutations, evolution and human diversity.
About 98–99% of comparable DNA. Tap the chimpanzee on the tree of life to see what that figure means and how long ago we shared an ancestor.
Yes. It is free to use, with no account, no watermark and no paywall. The AI uses a free shared allowance; if it is busy or at its daily limit, try again later or add your own Gemini key.
Only when you use its AI features: then the text you give the AI is sent to Google’s Gemini model through MigaBuilder’s free AI service, or your own Gemini key. Everything else stays in your browser.
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