Stories of sneaky Soay sheep, Snaafi Dancer the substandard racing stallion, the Vikings of the Scottish Isles and a ceilidh with a scientific spin. Plus, news from the front lines of the sperm wars.
027 - Uprooting the tree of life: Darwin, DNA and de-extinction
Should we believe our eyes or our sequencing machines when it comes to sorting species? Plus, the greatest comeback of all time - we find out whether Jurassic Park could become reality.
026 - The future is now: Curing HIV, advancing CRISPR therapies, predatory phages for superbug infections and advice for a healthy life
We explore the latest advances in health technology such as CRISPR-based gene therapies, superbug-fighting phage viruses and a potential cure for HIV. Plus NYT health columnist Jane Brody’s advice for a healthy life and reflections on progress in cancer from US journalist and advocate Katie Couric.
025 - When 'Becky' met Bateson: Edith Rebecca Saunders, the mother of British plant genetics
We unearth the story of Edith Rebecca Saunders, co-founder of The Genetics Society and the ‘mother of British plant genetics’.
024 - Exploring the Poop-ome, from the microbiome to metagenomics
We’re getting our hands dirty by delving into the poop-ome - the trillions of bacteria that live inside our guts and make up what’s known as the microbiome. What's in there? What are they up to? And can you blame your stinky farts on your gut bacteria?
023 Mergers and Acquisitions
We’re looking at mergers and acquisitions - in a biological rather than a financial sense. We find out what happens when two cells decide to move in together, unpack the history of genetic engineering and bleat on about the story of Dolly the Sheep.
022 - Big Questions about the Big C
Why are tumours more likely to develop in some tissues than others? And will low doses of radiation increase your risk of cancer, even without damaging DNA? We tackle the Big Questions about the Big C.
021 In case you missed it...
We bring you a selection of our favourite bits from the year so far that you might have missed.
020 Sex and Death
In this episode from our centenary series exploring 100 ideas in genetics, we’re telling tales of sex and death, and exploring the very darkest side of genetics - eugenics.