genetic code projected onto face of African man.

There’s No Scientific Basis for Race—It's a Made-Up Label

It's been used to define and separate people for millennia. But the concept of race is not grounded in genetics.

The four letters of the genetic code—A, C, G, and T—are projected onto Ryan Lingarmillar, a Ugandan. DNA reveals what skin color obscures: We all have African ancestors.
This story is part of The Race Issue, a special issue of National Geographic that explores how race defines, separates, and unites us.
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