Sounds wild, right? A breakfast fruit and a person sharing that much DNA feels like the setup to a joke. It isn’t a joke, but it isn’t what most people think either. The famous “60%” line gets repeated at parties, in classrooms, and on social feeds. It points to something true about life on Earth: living things run on a lot of the same molecular parts. The problem is the wording. “Share 60% of their DNA” suggests more than it should.
Let’s unpack it without the fluff.
The 60% Claim: What It Actually Means
That number refers to genes, not your entire DNA sequence. Genes are the stretches of DNA that code for proteins. DNA also includes huge regions that don’t code for proteins at all. When scientists talk about shared genes between species, they’re usually pointing to orthologs—genes in different species that evolved from a common ancestor and still do a similar job.
So when you hear “humans share 60% with bananas,” a better translation is: about half-ish of our protein-coding genes have counterparts in bananas that perform core, boring-but-crucial jobs inside cells. Not 60% of the letters in our DNA match. Not 60% of who you are is secretly plantain.
DNA vs. Genes vs. Genome (Quick and Painless)
DNA: the chemical long-form code made of A, T, C, and G.
Gene: a useful segment of DNA that gets read into RNA, then often into a protein.
Genome: the full book—every letter, every page, including long stretches that never become protein.
Humans carry about 3.2 billion DNA letters. Only a small slice (roughly 1–2%) encodes proteins. The rest regulates, repeats, or sits quietly as history’s footnotes. Bananas have fewer letters overall in a typical reference genome, but more genes in many cases because plants often duplicate whole genomes over evolutionary time. More copies of more genes doesn’t mean “more advanced.” It means different evolutionary paths and different survival strategies.
How Scientists Compare a Banana and a Human
Researchers don’t line up every DNA letter from a person and a Cavendish banana and circle matches with a red pen. They use databases and algorithms to find homology—similarity that hints at common ancestry. They look for conserved protein domains, similar gene families, and one-to-one orthologs. Then they count: “How many human genes have a banana counterpart we can recognize?” Depending on the method and cutoff settings, you get different percentages. That’s why the number floats.
If you want to see how this kind of cross-species comparison works in practice, the comparative genomics overview at the National Human Genome Research Institute lays it out in plain English (comparative genomics overview).
Why So Much Is Shared Across Life
You and a banana both wake up each day with cells that must copy DNA, make energy, fix damage, and build proteins. Life solved those chores early and kept the solutions. Think of it like a universal toolbox: DNA polymerase for copying DNA, ribosomes for building proteins, ATP synthase for energy. These are ancient inventions. Eukaryotes—organisms with complex cells—share a big chunk of that toolkit. Humans are eukaryotes. Bananas are eukaryotes. So we both carry the blueprints for those parts.
That’s the heart of the “60%” story. It reflects shared ancestry, not secret banana traits hiding in your elbows.
What Humans and Bananas Definitely Don’t Share
Body plans. Plants build cell walls from cellulose and run photosynthesis. We don’t.
Developmental programs. A banana “decides” leaf vs. fruit via plant hormones and gene networks nothing like human embryonic pathways.
Immune systems, brains, bones, blood. You get the picture.
Even when a gene looks similar, regulation can be wildly different. A shared gene is not a shared lifestyle.
The Banana Has More Genes? Sometimes, Yes
Plants go big on duplication. Entire genomes can double or triple during their history. That’s one reason a banana can boast tens of thousands of genes. Duplicates spin off, specialize, or fade. Humans, on the other hand, trimmed and tuned in other ways. More genes doesn’t mean a taller IQ or better Wi-Fi. It means plants had their own evolutionary adventures.
Where “60%” Trips People Up
Three common mix-ups:
DNA vs. genes: The meme says DNA, but the science usually refers to protein-coding genes. Big difference.
Which way you count: “Percent of human genes that have a banana match” is not the same as “percent of banana genes that match humans.” Those percentages won’t be identical.
Similarity thresholds: Tiny changes to how you define “similar” will nudge the number up or down.
So, treat “60%” like a headline. Memorable, not precise.
A Better Way to Say It
If you want a line that’s accurate and still fun: Humans and bananas share many conserved genes for basic cell functions because all complex life inherited a common toolkit. Short, true, and you can still enjoy your smoothie without identity questions.
What This Says About Evolution (and About You)
All life is connected by descent. That’s not philosophy; that’s data. The core machinery of the cell worked so well in early eukaryotes that it stuck around. Evolution tinkers more with regulation—where, when, and how hard genes turn on—than with the nuts and bolts that every cell needs. The human story is less about inventing brand-new parts and more about rewiring timing, dosage, and networks until a brain sits inside a skull thinking about breakfast fruit.
Quick Tour of Other Comparisons
People like benchmarks:
Chimpanzees: around 98–99% similar at many aligned DNA regions. Very close cousins.
Mice: a large majority of human genes have mouse counterparts. Useful for medical research.
Fruit flies: roughly 60% of human disease genes have fly versions you can study.
Yeast: single-celled, yet still shares a hefty kit of core genes.
Different metric, different number. The point holds: big chunks of biology are ancient and shared.
For a friendly explainer that compares species without the hype, the Wellcome Sanger Institute’s guide on how much DNA species share is a solid reference (how much DNA species share).
Can You See Banana DNA With Your Own Eyes?
Yes, with dish soap, salt, and rubbing alcohol, you can pull stringy white fibers of DNA from a banana at home. It’s a classic kitchen experiment. You’re not seeing letters or genes—just clumps of many DNA molecules precipitated out of solution. Still pretty cool. It drives home that DNA is real stuff, not just a textbook word.
Common Myths, Squashed
“If we share 60%, we must be 60% banana.” No. That’s not how genetics or math works.
“Shared genes mean shared traits.” Not necessarily. Regulation, context, and networks decide outcomes.
“Plants and animals are nothing alike.” Under the hood, they’re running many of the same core processes.
“The exact percentage is settled.” It isn’t. Methods differ. The general idea does not.
So… Should You Still Use the Fun Fact?
Go for it—if you add a pinch of clarity. Try this at your next dinner: “Fun fact: humans and bananas share a lot of the same core genes because all complex life inherited a common toolkit. People round that to ‘60%.’ It means we’re connected, not that I’m part plantain.”
That line keeps the wonder and ditches the confusion.
Takeaway You Can Trust
The viral line is pointing at a real truth: life reuses proven molecular parts.
The exact number is fuzzy, the idea is solid.
Genes in common reflect shared ancestry and shared cell chores—not shared identities.
You and a banana are distant relatives on the tree of life. Distant enough that you should still eat the banana.
Enjoy your fruit. Keep your curiosity. And next time someone drops the “60%” stat, you’ll be ready with the story behind it.
