Paper DNA (Double Helix)

This Instructable is entered in the "The Teacher" contest. Please vote for my instructable! -General Eggs

I made one of these for my Biology class. It doesn't take very long and it looks pretty cool in the end. The one I made for school is colored. I've also made another one without using tools. Any way, here's what you need:

1 sheet of 8.5" by 11" paper
A pencil
A ruler

This can actually be done with any size of paper. This works best when the width of the sheet is around 8- 9 inches.

This could be used as a fun, cheap way to teach about DNA. Students would learn about the structure of a DNA strand and about how  the four chemicals (Guanine, Adenine, Thymine, and Cytosine) combine in long complex structures to create the blueprints for what the cell makes.

NOTE: The DNA in the photos twists towards the left. As explained to me DNA actually spirals to the right. This is just a matter of which way you make your folds. Thanks to yardleydobon for pointing this out.

Step 1: Mark it down the middle

Mark the paper down the middle. On a standard sheet of paper that's 4 1/4".

Comments

[seamster]

This is really neat! It would be even better if you included a PDF of the pattern already laid out. Just draw it out, scan it directly as a PDF, and include it in one of the steps.

(I include PDF patterns with some of my instructables, and people really respond well to it. Just a thought!)

[General Eggs]

The PDFs are easy to find on the internet. I was just trying to do it without a template because so many people make tutorials about using a template.

[seamster]

Ah, I see. Very good!

[or_ford98]

Any links for the PDF's? i cant find any D:

[General Eggs]

Here's a few: http://tiny.cc/8du6jw
http://www.csiro.au/resources/dna-model-activity
http://www.yourgenome.org/teachers/origami.shtml

just to name a few

[or_ford98]

ah, thank you general

[yardleydobon]

DNA is right-handed. Your paper helix is left-handed.

[bruce226]

I happen to know that General Eggs is left handed. This could have contributed to this. Still it's a cool project!

[General Eggs]

oops... the way it twists really just depends on the way you make your folds, but thanks for pointing that out!

[Xenobia]

I love this! Very clear instructions, thank you.

[foobear]

Nifty. I wish there was a video demo too though because I'm so dumb, I don't get it. Thank you!

[iminthebathroom]

Aw, ChrysN said awesome already - OK AMAZING, my mind is turning right now with a thought.... click, click, click

[ChrysN]

Cool, that looks awesome!