Homologous recombination

Homologous recombination is like playing the kids game 'telephone'. It is when two pieces of information are passed from one person to another, but each time it changes a bit.
In homologous recombination, this happens when two pieces of DNA get mixed together and swapped. This mixing and swapping of DNA happens in a very special way so that some of the information stays the same. That makes this type of DNA swapping different from other types that don't keep the same information.
This type of DNA swapping is important because it helps living things mix up the information in their DNA and make new combinations of information. This can be helpful when an organism needs to change or adapt to its environment.