GENES IN HUMANS.

Q: For how many generations genes are carried out in humans? not marrying in same gothram relevent?

A: Genes are passed down indefinitely across all generations, but the amount of DNA you share from a specific ancestor drops by half with each generation, becoming practically untraceable after about 7 to 10 generations. 

How Genes Are Carried Across Generations?

First Generation: Parents pass 50% of their DNA to their children. 

Grandchildren (3rd Gen): Share about 25% of their DNA with a specific grandparent. 

Rapid Dilution: By the 7th generation, a descendant shares only about 1.56% of their DNA with an original ancestor. 

The 8th Generation and Beyond: Shared DNA drops below 1%, and due to random chromosomal crossover, you may inherit zero detectable DNA from a specific great-great-great-great-great-grandparent. 

Special Markers: Only the Y-chromosome (passed from father to son) and mitochondrial DNA (passed from mother to all children) remain largely unchanged over deep time, though they still represent only a tiny fraction of your total genome.

Is Not Marrying in the Same Gotra Relevant?

The Traditional View: The traditional Hindu Gotra system assumes that people of the same Gotra share a common patrilineal root ancestor. Marrying outside the Gotra was designed to maintain genetic diversity and prevent recessive genetic disorders caused by inbreeding. 

The 7-Generation Rule: Many traditional guidelines and legal frameworks (like the Hindu Marriage Act) suggest avoiding marriage if a common ancestor exists within 5 to 7 generations, which aligns with the point where shared DNA drops significantly. 

Modern Genetic Perspective: As noted in discussions on platforms like Reddit, opinions are mixed. 

Population geneticists point out that Gotra only tracks a rigid patrilineal line (the Y-chromosome) and ignores the vast majority of ancestors on the maternal side. 

After dozens of generations within a closed community or region, most people share a degree of overlapping ancestry anyway. 

Modern DNA screening provides a precise measure of genetic overlap, making strict Gotra rules more of a cultural tradition than a strict biological necessity.