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[[Cueball]] and [[Megan]] (as biologists) are on a first date. As opposed to the usual romantic talk or discussion about each other's histories or character, the comic suggests that 30% of the time, two biologists on a first date will end up making {{w|Punnett square}}s, which non-biologists might not consider very interesting or romantic. The comic may be a play on the idea that couples on a first date might wonder about (or on a very promising date, even discuss) the traits in the other person that might be passed on to potential children.
 
[[Cueball]] and [[Megan]] (as biologists) are on a first date. As opposed to the usual romantic talk or discussion about each other's histories or character, the comic suggests that 30% of the time, two biologists on a first date will end up making {{w|Punnett square}}s, which non-biologists might not consider very interesting or romantic. The comic may be a play on the idea that couples on a first date might wonder about (or on a very promising date, even discuss) the traits in the other person that might be passed on to potential children.
  
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A Punnett square is a simple diagram used in biology to determine the probable resulting {{w|genotype}} of cross-breeding two organisms, be they plant or animal (including humans). The diagram shows all possible results of crossing a single {{w|genotype}} from each parent in the offspring genotype following {{w|Mendelian inheritance}}.
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A Punnett square is a simple diagram used in biology to determine the probable resulting {{w|genotype}} of cross-breeding two organisms (be they plant, animal, or human). The diagram shows all possible results of crossing a single {{w|genotype}} from each parent in the offspring genotype following {{w|Mendelian inheritance}}.
  
 
For humans and most animals, there are two alleles for each gene, and each parent passes one of their alleles for each gene on to the offspring. The most simple Punnett square is a 2x2 table with a legend of the two paternal alleles on one axis (e.g.: ''A'' and ''A'') and the two maternal alleles on the other axis (e.g.: ''A'' and ''a''). Each box of the Punnett square represents a possible genetic outcome as a result of each each of the alleles being passed on to the offspring (''AA'', ''Aa'', ''AA'' and ''Aa''). For certain genetic traits, one genotype may determine a specific trait in the offspring; e.g. black hair in rats. Certain genotypes have dominant and recessive alleles. An offspring must have both of the recessive alleles to display the recessive trait; in the above example, if "a" was an allele for a recessive trait, the offspring could not have the recessive trait, as there is no possible ''aa'' outcome. This is the basic principles that allows statements to be made that two parents with a certain blood type or eye color could not possibly have an offspring with a certain other blood type or eye color.
 
For humans and most animals, there are two alleles for each gene, and each parent passes one of their alleles for each gene on to the offspring. The most simple Punnett square is a 2x2 table with a legend of the two paternal alleles on one axis (e.g.: ''A'' and ''A'') and the two maternal alleles on the other axis (e.g.: ''A'' and ''a''). Each box of the Punnett square represents a possible genetic outcome as a result of each each of the alleles being passed on to the offspring (''AA'', ''Aa'', ''AA'' and ''Aa''). For certain genetic traits, one genotype may determine a specific trait in the offspring; e.g. black hair in rats. Certain genotypes have dominant and recessive alleles. An offspring must have both of the recessive alleles to display the recessive trait; in the above example, if "a" was an allele for a recessive trait, the offspring could not have the recessive trait, as there is no possible ''aa'' outcome. This is the basic principles that allows statements to be made that two parents with a certain blood type or eye color could not possibly have an offspring with a certain other blood type or eye color.

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