Medicine
Genetic Basis of Hereditary Hemochromatosis
Quick fact
About 1 in 200 people of Northern European descent carry two copies of the HFE C282Y mutation, making hereditary hemochromatosis the most common genetic disorder in that population.
Why this is interesting
Imagine your body absorbing too much iron from every meal—iron that slowly accumulates in your organs, eventually damaging them. Why would your body do that? The answer lies in a small change in your DNA.