Nearly a million genomes deliver a comforting verdict: there is no 'normal' — variation is the norm

What does an 'average' human genome look like? A University of Exeter-led team analysed nearly a million whole genomes from UK Biobank and the US All of Us programme, and the answer is wonderfully untidy: every person carries about 5 million variants, roughly 10,000 that alter gene sequences, and one to three rare variants previously linked to serious disease — and most of us would score 'high risk' for about three of 28 common conditions, yet stay healthy. Presented at the American Society of Human Genetics meeting and published in Genome Medicine, the study is a reality check for genetic fortune-telling: carrying a risky variant is ordinary, and is not a diagnosis. 'Actually, variation is the norm,' says senior author Professor Caroline Wright.

SDG 9 · Industry, innovation and infrastructure — Mechanism: tech innovation