Science and Nature

The Gene

“The Gene: An Intimate History” brings vividly to life the story of today’s revolution in medical science through present-day tales of patients and doctors at the forefront of the search for genetic treatments, interwoven with a compelling history of the discoveries that made this possible and the ethical challenges raised by the ability to edit DNA with precision.

The Gene Explained | Is That a Banana in Your Genes?

3m 21s

It’s true that the banana and the slug are our genetic relatives, and so is everything else. But what does that mean? Which parts of our genes are related and just how much overall do we have in common with a banana and as science advances, how will that affect future fruit baskets?

Episodes

  • Revolution in the Treatment of Disease: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Revolution in the Treatment of Disease

    S2020 E2 - 1h 54m

    Part Two begins with the story of the signature scientific achievement of our time: the mapping of the human genome. As scientists learn to read the genetic code, they grapple with the dangers inherent in increasingly sophisticated and easily available methods of intervening in the very essence of what makes us human, our DNA.

  • Dawn of the Modern Age of Genetics: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Dawn of the Modern Age of Genetics

    S2020 E1 - 1h 54m

    Part One interweaves the present-day story of the Rosens, a young family on an odyssey to find a cure for their four-year-old daughter’s rare genetic disease, with stories of the exciting discoveries of the early pioneers in genetics. This episode also tracks the dark period in human history when a little genetic knowledge was used to justify terrifying human experiments.

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