WTCHG: Uniqueness

All of us are unique. You will even find differences between identical twins if you look closely.

For National Science and Engineering Week 2009 we are inviting you to explore just how unique you are by looking at a set of distinctive but easy to measure characteristics, from the shape of your chin to the ability to smell certain flowers, which are controlled mostly by your DNA.

This project is now live and online! If you are interested in taking part, please visit the "How unique are you?" website by clicking here or pointing your browser to uniqueness.well.ox.ac.uk. To request project updates or further information, please send an e-mail to comms@well.ox.ac.uk .

For an insight into what we are doing, have a look below at a similar experiment we have run during National Science and Engineering Week over the last two years. Volunteers were asked to take a look at their hairline, ear shape and a variety of other simple traits. The overall results are shown below. If you took part, you can now compare yourself to our 'average visitor'...

2007's event
Can you smell freesias?	84% of visitors could
Can you roll your tongue?	75% of visitors could
Do you have a straight hairline?	64% of visitors did
Are your earlobes attached?	35% of visitors' earlobes were
Do you have dimples?	32% of visitors did
Are you right handed?	89% of visitors were
Do you have a cleft chin?	14% of visitors did
Do you have a straight thumb?	49% of visitors did
Do you have a straight little finger?	66% of visitors did
Do you have freckles?	42% of visitors did
Do you have mid-digit hair?	33% of visitors did

Friday 14 March 2008		Saturday 15 March 2008
Can you smell freesias?	90% of visitors could	Can you smell freesias?	92% of visitors could
Can you roll your tongue?	72% of visitors could	Can you roll your tongue?	69% of visitors could
Do you have a straight hairline?	74% of visitors did	Do you have a straight hairline?	67% of visitors did
Are your earlobes attached?	27% of visitors' earlobes were	Are your earlobes attached?	27% of visitors' earlobes were
Do you have dimples?	44% of visitors did	Do you have dimples?	36% of visitors did
Are you right handed?	83% of visitors were	Are you right handed?	87% of visitors were
Do you have a cleft chin?	25% of visitors did	Do you have a cleft chin?	07% of visitors did
Do you have a straight thumb?	59% of visitors did	Do you have a straight thumb?	58% of visitors did
Do you have a straight little finger?	71% of visitors did	Do you have a straight little finger?	65% of visitors did
Do you have freckles?	48% of visitors did	Do you have freckles?	32% of visitors did
Do you have mid-digit hair?	30% of visitors did	Do you have mid-digit hair?	28% of visitors did

Total for 2008
Can you smell freesias?	91% of visitors could
Can you roll your tongue?	71% of visitors could
Do you have a straight hairline?	71% of visitors did
Are your earlobes attached?	30% of visitors' earlobes were
Do you have dimples?	40% of visitors did
Are you right handed?	84% of visitors were
Do you have a cleft chin?	18% of visitors did
Do you have a straight thumb?	59% of visitors did
Do you have a straight little finger?	68% of visitors did
Do you have freckles?	42% of visitors did
Do you have mid-digit hair?	29% of visitors did