The long-held assumption in evolutionary biology that non-coding regions of DNA are “evolutionary junk” has finally been challenged. Dr. Casey Luskin reports on the discovery of function in these previously misunderstood areas, which has earned two American biologists a Nobel Prize.
In 2008, a series of discoveries began to alter the understanding of so-called “junk” DNA. Today, researchers have identified numerous examples of functional genes in non-coding regions, with more being discovered each year. The recognition of these findings is a significant victory for Intelligent Design (ID) scientists who had long argued that non-coding DNA could be functional.
One notable example is the discovery of microRNAs, which was first identified in 1993 but met with skepticism at the time due to the assumption that non-coding regions must be useless. The recent Nobel Prize award raises questions about whether the prevailing view on “junk” DNA may have slowed down a potentially groundbreaking discovery from being recognized.
Intelligent Design scientists, including critics of the idea that non-coding DNA is always junk, have made predictions about the functional potential of these regions since the 1990s. Richard Sternberg and William Dembski were among the first to argue against the notion that all non-coding DNA is useless. Their ideas are now vindicated by the Nobel Committee.
This breakthrough highlights the limitations of conventional science when it comes to understanding complex biological systems, and the importance of considering alternative perspectives in scientific inquiry.
Source: https://evolutionnews.org/2025/07/another-case-where-junk-myth-impeded-science