What Exactly Are the Common Characteristics Between Humans and Bananas?

When I heard Ken Ham say this, I thought he was making a joke so I looked it up. Apparently this is what the scientific community really says. But if you don't believe me, here is what the Natural History Museum of United Kingdom says...

Bananas and Humans are 50% similar

The genes of organisms that look very different are surprisingly similar. For example, human DNA sequences are over 95% identical to chimpanzee sequences and around 50% identical to banana sequences.

You have to go back in time a long way to find a common ancestor between humans and bananas, but ultimately they have both emerged from the same family tree, the tree of life, and that is why they share common characteristics.

What exactly are those shared common characteristics? Typically shared characteristics means it is phenotypical, but even genotypically, one has to say how that is. So the question is in the title.

Can anyone out there tell me what those common characteristics are? And if you say life, then be careful in which direction that will lead, because life of pre-born infants are not considered life when it comes to abortions. But can anyone please tell me what the common characteristics are and why are they telling children this without explaining what the common characteristics are?

Please? And be nice.

Bananas have more brains.

Restricted
Bananas have more brains.

So when someone calls me a 'banana brain' it is not an insult?

I feel better now.

I'm no biologist, but I believe 50% similar isn't all that similar in genetic terms.

But both humans and bananas do have peels and do love to hang around in bunches and we both love to dance!



ETA: Do you know that Great Britain has extremely exacting standards on bananas they allow to be imported into their country? If it's too curved or too long, it's rejected. I only know this because a close friend of mine was an auditor who audited the people who measured the bananas!

Most of both are "yellow".

2nd.

AugustusMasonicus

Restricted
Bananas have more brains.

So when someone calls me a 'banana brain' it is not an insult?

I feel better now.

Like that!

~Lucidity
I'm no biologist, but I believe 50% similar isn't all that similar in genetic terms.

But both humans and bananas do have peels and do love to hang around in bunches and we both love to dance!

ETA: Do you know that Great Britain has extremely exacting standards on bananas they allow to be imported into their country? If it's too curved or too long, it's rejected. I only know this because a close friend of mine was an auditor who audited the people who measured the bananas!

edit on 3/26/2014 by ~Lucidity because: (no reason given)

OK, so you have given two...but I'm not sure that counts. But so far, you have offered the most.

ipsedixit
Most of both are "yellow".

2nd.

Except that bananas come from tropical areas.

Not many "yellow" are in Africa.

3rd.

I think I have one of those banana brains in my other head. It really likes to monkey around with women.

WarminIndy

OK, so you have given two...but I'm not sure that counts. But so far, you have offered the most.

Lucidity is joking.

50% DNA difference is a massive amount. We share 98.7% of our DNA with chimps and bonobos and look how different we are as species.

reply to post by WarminIndy

OK, you're a banana!

rickymouse
I think I have one of those banana brains in my other head. It really likes to monkey around with women.

OK, you have offered another, but not sure that counts either.
So far the dancing banana is in the lead.

reply to post by WarminIndy


I think you've misunderstood the sentence, probably because it's so poorly worded.

They're not saying we share characteristics (i.e behaviours, traits) with bananas, it's saying our DNA is similar as millions years ago we shared a common ancestor then evolved into completely different paths.

GetHyped

WarminIndy

OK, so you have given two...but I'm not sure that counts. But so far, you have offered the most.

Lucidity is joking.

50% DNA difference is a massive amount. We share 98.7% of our DNA with chimps and bonobos and look how different we are as species.

Yes, I know he was joking, but as the title asks, what are those common characteristics.

As no scientific answer has been given yet, Lucidity is winning simply by default of sharing common characteristics.

bastion
reply to post by WarminIndy

 

I think you've misunderstood the sentence, probably because it's so poorly worded.

They're not saying we share characteristics (i.e behaviours, traits) with bananas, it's saying our DNA is similar as millions years ago we shared a common ancestor.

Bastion, this is what they are teaching children. So how exactly am I supposed to think about the statement. Common characteristics means...something in common that is phenotypically observed.

They are probably the most basic things like chemical processes to convert things from one form to another mainly

Maxatoria
They are probably the most basic things like chemical processes to convert things from one form to another mainly

Do you mean like eating a banana and eating a person would be a similar process in digestion, to convert to energy?

Well, that might be a good theory, but that has to be proven. Who is up for eating people to experiment?

reply to post by WarminIndy

No expert, but I'm game.

things in common:

have cells that can moderate complex chemistry and self replicate.
can synthesize proteins
can synthesize enzymes
have roughly similar reproductive blocks
use polysaccharides for structures
use mono-saccharides for energy storage

WarminIndy

Bastion, this is what they are teaching children. So how exactly am I supposed to think about the statement. Common characteristics means...something in common that is phenotypically observed.

Then you misunderstand the science of genetics. 50% shared DNA doesn't equate to a banana having 1 arm, 1 leg, half a peel, 1 lung, half a stalk and some other mish-mash of physical appearances.

InverseLookingGlass
reply to post by WarminIndy

 

No expert, but I'm game.

things in common:

have cells that can moderate complex chemistry and self replicate.
can synthesize proteins
can synthesize enzymes
have roughly similar reproductive blocks
use polysaccharides for structures
use mono-saccharides for energy storage

hmmm. Self-replicate? Do you mean that the process of reproduction is similar? See another above poster.

Those are very generalized answers. So to prove that, we have to either have sex with bananas or eat people. Well, sex with bananas, I am sure that has been attempted but nothing scientific ever came from that endeavor. And eating people...eww, illegal and unethical, but in the pursuit of science, I suppose someone has tried.

But that seems to be general for every living thing, even your yard proves that every day.