Culture and DNA

I often contemplate the relationship of genetics to culture. Not popularly linked together, and typically rejected as impossible. But I do believe in this link.

The easiest example to visualize is music. If any single human behavior represents the culture of humans, its our music. Applying this concept to biology; the amazing experiments with bird embryo's being incubated and hatched away from all-other-birds is mind-boggling. The 'song' that the Zebra finches replicated, after never having heard their parents 'sing' points to this Culture -- DNA linkage. The implication that a song could be encoded in our DNA, and passed to another generation opens 1000 discussions of what culture really is. The mechanism of how the 'song' is passed to the offspring is still not understood. But; If a 'song' can be inherited, then what other cultural behaviors can be inherited? Can the finch experiment be extended to humans?

Being a Microbiologist with an open mind leads me to say yes - it can be extended to humans. Genetics, environment, fortuna all contribute to our nature. One does not exist without the other. Fascinating concepts. I have a theory that so very-much more is hidden in our DNA and mitochondria RNA that is yet to be discovered.

In another life-time, I was a scientist. Now I just dream.