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We incorporate genetic endowments into a dynamic model of skill formation to evaluate the mechanisms through which genes influence skill formation. We document the importance of three distinct genetic mechanisms: the direct effect of child genes on skills, the indirect effect of child genes via parental investments (nurture of nature), and the effect of parental genes on parental investments (nature of nurture). Using the model, we show the relative importance of genes depends on how parental (or public) investments are allocated across children. Our work highlights the importance of integrating biological and social perspectives into a single framework.