Why Are Chromosomes in Pairs?

Chromosomes occur in pairs when organisms develop from two sets of genetic information. In sexually reproducing organisms, such as humans, the two sets come from two different parents. In organisms that have two sets of chromosomes but are also capable of asexual reproduction, such as some yeast, marine corals, insects, and even some vertebrates, the two sets of genetic material are inherited through processes such as budding or parthenogenesis. Regardless of the mechanism of inheritance,...