🎉 Did You Know? Every time a cell gets ready to split into two, it makes a double copy of its DNA. Think of it like photocopying a recipe before sharing it with two friends, ensuring both get the full list!

📖 Definition: The process by which a cell copies its DNA before dividing.

🍕 Real-World Example: Imagine you and your twin are making two pizzas. But there's only one recipe. Before you start, you photocopy the recipe so you both have a complete set of instructions.

📌 For both mitosis and meiosis (two types of cell division), DNA needs to be replicated. 📌 This makes sure that the new cells (daughter cells) have a full set of genes. It’s like ensuring both your pizzas have all the right toppings!

Once, scientists thought a single centromere held the chromatids (think of them as two identical strands of DNA) together until they needed to be separated. But guess what? That was proven wrong!