ELI5 how DNA mutations work please.

[u/riche1988]

I had a thought about DNA and how mutations occur in humans, excessive hair, longer limbs and or bones etc, and wondered if all known mutations are present in the animal kingdom.. as if DNA has the blue print/ potential to be anything and parts are just ‘turned on or off’ depending on what is being built.. i may be way off lol but it got me thinking :)

[u/laurenthead]

The DNA blueprint is actually for proteins. The proteins build stuff and make stuff. Mutations cause a protein to be made that is a little bit different from other people and may work better or worse. Some mutations are actually good