EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -In humans, each cell normally contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, for a total of 46. Twenty-two of these pairs, called autosomes, look the same in both males and females. The 23rd pair, the sex chromosomes, differ between males and females.

Detailed explanation-2: -Humans, like many other species, are called ‘diploid’. This is because our chromosomes exist in matching pairs – with one chromosome of each pair being inherited from each biological parent. Every cell in the human body contains 23 pairs of such chromosomes; our diploid number is therefore 46, our ‘haploid’ number 23.

Detailed explanation-3: -The 23rd pair of chromosomes are known as the sex chromosomes, because they decide if you will be born male or female. Females have two X chromosomes, while males have one X and one Y chromosome.

Detailed explanation-4: -In 1923 he published his results. Sperm contained 24 chromosomes, so if there were an equal number coming from the egg then humans must have 48 chromosomes in total, 24 pairs.