Enough already all of the articles and blogs about how "epigenetics" is the cause of aggression or socio-economic disparity.
Epigenetic modifications to the genome are not more important than genes, they are not separate from genes. They are how we regulate genes, genes are not binary- they are not on or off. They are used at certain levels for certain tasks ("grow an arm" will use the same genes as "grow a heart" but in much different dosages).
Epigenetics are akin to a thermostat. You wouldn't blame the thermostat for causing winter? No you use the thermostat to respond to winter.
Epigenetics is the same! It is the control mechanism that the body uses to respond to the environment. In this case the environment being EVERYTHING outside the nucleus of a single cell. Yes everything, cell signals, hormones, hunger, emotions, temperature, toxins- everything.
Understanding epigenetics is like particle physics, we can be statistically certain but we can NOT be definitive about the role of any single epigenetic modification's role in a disease state or trait inheritance.
It is mind-boggling how complex the potential role of epigenetics is in any disease. We do not even understand how it works at the single cell level, and we have people suggesting that "epigenetics" explains complex traits just because nothing else has explained that trait?!.....its frustrating. Epigenetics is not magic, it is at least 20 different types of gene regulation. That is all it is...its boring fundamental science.
I get it; its hard to explain epigenetics but we are reaching Fox news area of truthiness with some of the blogs and "news" about Epigenetics. We, as the educated science community, need to hold ourselves to a higher standard. Epigenetics is part of everyday life; differences in twins, calico cats, Zebra spots. Lets appropriately educate the public using everyday examples and then go deeper. I have found people are more excited by the basics and a honest approach than being oversold. We get that enough nowadays with the 24 hour news cycle and 365 political campaigning.
Lets not be part of the solution by "misspeaking" the wonderful nature of epigenetics. We should be exciting the public to the potential rather than selling snake oil.
