Tiny Fern Sets World Record for Largest Genome

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Source: CBS News
Tiny Fern Sets World Record for Largest Genome
Photo: CBS News
TL;DR Summary

The New Caledonian fern Tmesipteris oblanceolata has been awarded the Guinness World Record for the largest genome on Earth, with its DNA stretching taller than the Statue of Liberty. The fern's genome is 160 gigabase pairs, over 50 times more than humans. This discovery challenges previous assumptions about the biological limits of genome size and raises questions about the function and evolutionary significance of such large amounts of DNA.

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