ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

International HapMap Project

The International HapMap Project is like a big science project where lots of smart people from all around the world work together to study our DNA.

You know that everyone’s DNA is different, right? These differences are called “genetic variation”. When scientists study genetic variation, they can learn about things like why some people get sick more than others or how different traits like eye color or height are passed down from parents to children.

The International HapMap Project focused on a specific type of genetic variation called “haplotypes”. These are groups of genetic differences that are passed down together from one generation to the next. By studying haplotypes in different people from around the world, scientists can learn more about how our DNA works and how it affects our health.

To do this, the scientists collected samples of DNA from people of different ethnic backgrounds, like Chinese, Japanese, African, European, and more. They used special machines and computers to analyze the DNA samples and find the haplotypes.

By the end of the project, the scientists had created a big map of human genetic variation – kind of like a map of all the different ways our DNA can be different. This map is useful for researchers trying to study diseases or understand more about human evolution.

So, think of the International HapMap Project as a big team effort to learn more about our DNA and how it shapes who we are. It’s pretty cool stuff!