What is binary fission?

Binary fission is a type of asexual reproduction in which a parent cell divides into two daughter cells. Each daughter cell carries one copy of genetic material. This form of asexual reproduction is observed mainly in prokaryotes and a few single-celled eukaryotes. During the process of binary fission, the parent’s genetic material is duplicated and divided into two parts. When the cell breaks apart into two daughter cells, each daughter cell receives one copy of its parent’s DNA and is a genetic clone of the parent. This is in contract to sexual reproduction in which the daughter cells are genetically unique and different from the parent cells. The advantage of binary fission is that it is a simple and quick process, which enables organisms to reproduce quickly. The downside is that it results in the creation of identical offspring that are mirror copies of their parents. This lack of genetic variability can be detrimental to the species as a whole.