The Atacama Desert, a 1000km stretch of parched wasteland, separates it from Peru to the north. And to the west, only a few islands dotted in the Pacific Ocean break the waves that roll onto Chileâs coast from Australasia.
What is a mutation? A mutation is a change that occurs in our DNA sequence, either due to mistakes when the DNA is copied or as the result of environmental factors such as UV light and cigarette smoke.
A mutation is a change in a DNA sequence that alters the protein for which the DNA codes. Sometimes mutations occur due to damage from an outside source, such as ultraviolet radiation. Excess ultraviolet radiation from the sun sometimes causes mutations that lead a cell to become cancerous.