An in-depth study of human DNA has confounded the reigning understanding of human genetics and appears to overturn basic concepts in biology.  It was formerly believed that large portions of human DNA serve no useful function, but a three-year investigation by scientists around the world has concluded that so-called “junk DNA” plays an active and important role in gene activity.

[Researchers] found there was far more to genetics than the genes themselves and determined there was no such thing as "junk DNA." Some of the most useless-looking stretches of DNA may carry important information, they said.
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The new study confirms what many genetics experts had suspected – the genes are important, but so is the other DNA, the biological code for every living thing.

What they discovered is that even DNA outside the genes transcribes information. Transcription is the process that turns DNA into something useful – such as a protein.

The consortium of scientists was organised by National Human Genome Research Institute, under the direction of Francis Collins.