The Gene

The Gene Explained | The Gene That Transformed

3m 9s

What terrifying things go on in a chrysalis, and what dark role do genes play? In this episode, learn how a hormone wakes up a gene that triggers the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly -- from forming a chrysalis to liquefying the caterpillar to fuel the imaginal discs that form a butterfly.

Episodes

Part 2: 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.
Part 1: 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.

WETA Passport

Stream tens of thousands of hours of your PBS and local favorites with WETA Passport whenever and wherever you want. Catch up on a single episode or binge-watch full seasons before they air on TV.