What Are Genes? And How They Build Every Living Thing

About Course

Every plant, animal, and person is made by tiny things or codes called genes. These codes are not magic, but they do some pretty wild things. They make your eyes a certain color, help birds sing, and even decide why some animals work together while others fight.

In this course, we’ll go on a journey to figure out what genes really are, why they seem to “want” things, and how they shape everything around us — including how we behave, how we survive, and how we care for each other.

Inspired by Richard Dawkins’ The Selfish Gene, we explain complex science in a way that even a curious 6-year-old can understand.

No jargon, no fluff — just precise, easy-to-read explanations that help learners truly master the big ideas behind life, behavior, and evolution.

What genes really are and how they work inside every cell
How DNA acts like an instruction book for building life
Why genes build bodies, feelings, and even behavior
What memes are — and how ideas spread like genes
How evolution works through natural selection
Why we feel love, anger, fear — and how it connects to survival
How genes help animals and people care for family
Whether we are truly free or just following instructions
How to think clearly, ask big questions, and make your own choices

Course Content

📚 What Is a Gene, Really?
What genes are (no oversimplified metaphors) DNA as a long instruction book Genes as small pieces of that book What genes do: giving instructions to build proteins Where genes live (inside every cell)

👶 Why Genes Make Bodies
Why genes can’t live alone How genes make cells, tissues, organs — and full bodies Your body is like a vehicle that carries your genes Genes are not thinking — but they act like they want to survive Why we’re not built “on purpose” but it feels like we are

🧫 How Genes Get Copied
How You Got a Set of Codes from Mom and Dad

Why Genes Compete (Even When You Don’t Know It)
Even Though They Don’t Think, Genes Are in a Race!

🧩 When Being Selfish Means Helping Others
Kindness That Protects Your Own Code

🧬There are Hidden Gene Battles inside Your Body All The Time!
What Happens When Genes in the Same Body Disagree

❤️ What About Feelings? Do Genes Cause Those Too?
Why We Feel Love, Fear, and Anger – From a Gene’s Point of View How Genes Build Behaviors Without Even Thinking Feelings as Survival Tools: Why Emotions Helped Our Ancestors Live How Genes Push Us to Do Things We Don’t Understand (Yet)

👩‍👧 Why Families Matter to Genes

Let’s Explore Your Ideas and You
Who are you? Are you just a body for your gene? Or are you much more? Can your free will and learnings override your genes?

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About Course

What Will You Learn?

Course Content

📚 What Is a Gene, Really? What genes are (no oversimplified metaphors) DNA as a long instruction book Genes as small pieces of that book What genes do: giving instructions to build proteins Where genes live (inside every cell)

👶 Why Genes Make Bodies Why genes can’t live alone How genes make cells, tissues, organs — and full bodies Your body is like a vehicle that carries your genes Genes are not thinking — but they act like they want to survive Why we’re not built “on purpose” but it feels like we are

🧫 How Genes Get Copied How You Got a Set of Codes from Mom and Dad

Why Genes Compete (Even When You Don’t Know It) Even Though They Don’t Think, Genes Are in a Race!

🧩 When Being Selfish Means Helping Others Kindness That Protects Your Own Code

🧬There are Hidden Gene Battles inside Your Body All The Time! What Happens When Genes in the Same Body Disagree

❤️ What About Feelings? Do Genes Cause Those Too? Why We Feel Love, Fear, and Anger – From a Gene’s Point of View How Genes Build Behaviors Without Even Thinking Feelings as Survival Tools: Why Emotions Helped Our Ancestors Live How Genes Push Us to Do Things We Don’t Understand (Yet)