ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Genetic variance

Genetic variance refers to the differences in genes (the tiny instructions that make up your body) that exist between individuals of the same species, such as people or dogs.

Just like how two siblings can look different or have different talents, genetic variance means that even people who are related can have different genes that lead to variations in traits like eye color, height, and personality.

Think of it like this: imagine all people are cupcakes, but each cupcake has a different type of icing, sprinkles and flavor. Some cupcakes might have chocolate icing with rainbow sprinkles and vanilla flavor, while others might have pink icing with chocolate sprinkles and strawberry flavor.

Similarly, people might have different versions of genes that control certain traits (like the gene that determines eye color), which means they might have brown, green, or blue eyes. This variation in genes is what gives us individuality and uniqueness, like our different colored eyes, hair, and skin.

So, genetic variance means that no two individuals are exactly the same genetically, and this variation is a natural and important part of life.