Genetics Unzipped

By The Genetics Society

What's Genetics Unzipped about?

From Mendel's peas to personal genome sequencing, Genetics Unzipped brings you stories from the world of genes, genomes and DNA. In association with The Genetics Society.

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Genetics Unzipped episodes:

01.25.2024
S6.27: Next Generation Sequence: Forging new paths in genetics
Please fill out our listener survey at geneticsunzipped.com/survey before January 31st This episode is all about the next generation, as we meet three up-and-coming scientists who have been supported by the Genetics Society, and learn all about Bermuda skinks, the Black...
01.11.2024
S6.26: The battle for biology: How Mendel came to rule the world
We explore the impact that Gregor Mendel and his populariser William Bateson have had on the past century of genetics, and ask whether there could have been a more Weldonian view of the world.
12.21.2023
S6.25: 2023 Unzipped
As 2023 draws to a close, we’re bringing you a smorgasbord of previously unaired clips from some of our favourite interviews this year.
12.14.2023
S6.24: Genes, junk and the ‘dark genome’
We discover how 500,000 whole genomes will help medical research, plumb the depths of the ‘dark genome’, and ponder how much of our DNA is just junk.
11.30.2023
S6.23: 40 years of HIV: the disease that broke the rules
With 2023 marking 40 years since the discovery of HIV, we're looking back over four decades of AIDS, from the earliest whispers of a mysterious new disease to fighting back against this deadly virus
11.16.2023
S6.22: Dumb luck: Amazing adaptations from happy little accidents
Author and science journalist Rebecca Coffey chats with us about some amazing adaptations and Darwinian delights from her book, Beyond Primates. She tells us about wasp facial recognition genes, how yeast epigenetics explain the Dutch Hunger Winter and a dinner...
11.02.2023
S6.21: Time of your life: how circadian rhythms shape the world
In this episode we’re clocking in to chat about the genetics of circadian rhythms. How can molecules tell the time, why don’t we have drugs for jet lag yet and could a midnight snack stop malaria in its tracks?
10.19.2023
S6.20: That’s so extra: Exploring the weird world of extrachromosomal DNA
We explore the weird and wonderful world of extrachromosomal DNA - what it is, what it does, and why it breaks the normal rules of inheritance.
10.05.2023
S6.19: Food for the future: Helping plants adapt to a changing world
We’re finding out how plants adapt to a changing environment, and how we might be able to give them a helping hand.
09.21.2023
BONUS Hormones: The Inside Story - Is my diabetes my fault?
It’s a special bonus episode this week as we wanted to showcase another podcast we think you’ll like, Hormones: The Inside Story, and an episode about the genetics of type 2 diabetes.
09.07.2023
S6.18: An Evolutionary Revolutionary: Alfred Russel Wallace and the discovery of natural selection
We’re exploring the epic life of Alfred Russel Wallace; adventurer, naturalist and co-discoverer of natural selection. Biologist and author, Jim Costa, recounts the life of this often forgotten founding father of evolution.
08.24.2023
S6.17: Vax to the future: The science of DNA and RNA vaccines
We look at the science behind DNA and RNA vaccines - How do they work? What can they do? And how can they be made at scale so that more people around the world can benefit from them? With John...
08.10.2023
S6.16 Double helix double crossing? What really happened between Rosalind Franklin, James Watson and Francis Crick?
Kat Arney chats with Professor Matthew Cobb about what really happened between James Watson, Francis Crick and Rosalind Franklin during the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA.
07.27.2023
S6.15: Cordelia Langford: Making Big Science Happen
We’re going behind the scenes at the Sanger Institute with Cordelia Langford, Director of Scientific Operations, to find out what it takes to make Big Science happen, and hear the stories behind the sequencing.
07.13.2023
S6.14: Tracking COVID and tackling obesity: Meet this year’s Genetics Society award winners
We’re chatting with two of this year’s Genetics Society award winners - Cecilia Lindgren, who’s an expert on the genetics of obesity and metabolic disorders, and Lucy van Dorp, who has spent the past three years tracing the spread of...
06.29.2023
S6.13: Kings, car parks and consent: should we sequence DNA from human remains?
We’re venturing into ancient territory and archaeological digs, excavating the complex ethics of extracting and sequencing DNA from human remains. We chat to Prof. Turi King about her role uncovering the body King Richard III and who decides which research...
06.15.2023
S6.12: Da Vinci’s DNA: What happens when genetics meets art
We’re taking a journey into the world of art and artefacts, unearthing the genetic secrets of long-dead legends like Da Vinci, Van Gogh and Beethoven.
06.01.2023
S6.11: Meet the DNA Detectives hunting the causes of cancer
We’re chasing down the perpetrator of a scientific Whodunnit, joining the DNA detectives on the hunt for the causes of cancer.
05.18.2023
S6.10: Space invaders: The amazing adaptations of tardigrades
In this episode we’re going microscopic, exploring what tiny tardigrades can teach us about DNA damage, vaccine distribution and even astronaut health in space.
05.04.2023
S6.09: Raiders of Noah’s Ark: Stealing genetic tricks from the animal kingdom
In this episode we’re becoming chromosomal criminals and learning about how researchers are stealing genes from the animal kingdom and using them to improve human health. From 13-lined ground squirrels teaching us how to recover from heart attacks, to bowhead...
04.27.2023
BONUS Re-release S3.22 - The Past, Present and Future of the Human Genome Project
To celebrate DNA Day, we are rereleasing an episode from series 3, called The Past, Present, and Future of the Human Genome Project, when Kat interviewed the director of the US National Human Genome Research Institute, Dr Eric Green about...
04.20.2023
S6.08: Pop goes the genome! Genetics in popular culture
We take a leftfield look at public communication of science, exploring how genetics turns up in popular culture from comics and music to cakes.
04.06.2023
S6.07: Chris Hemsworth took a genetic test for Alzheimer's. Should you?
We’re discussing Chris Hemsworth’s recent Alzheimer's risk findings and the pros and cons of direct-to-consumer DNA testing with genetic counsellor and host of the podcast DNA Today, Kira Dineen.
03.23.2023
S6.06: Bye-bye boys: The genetics behind the extinction of males
We’re saying bye-bye to the boys, and exploring whether new gene technologies and climate change will make males extinct.
03.09.2023
S6.05: GMO or GM NO? The ethics and realities of genome editing
We're exploring the ethics and regulations of genome editing. What is allowed? What shouldn't be? And who should get to decide? Plus we explore a new exhibit on the topic that lets the public have their say.
02.23.2023
S6.04: The diagnostic odyssey: A journey into genetic testing for rare diseases
We’re off on a journey to the world of rare genetic disorders, exploring the diagnostic odyssey that patients go on in search of answers and new approaches for treatment.
02.09.2023
S6.03: Confident, competent or confused: What do you think you know about genetics?
How much do you know about genetics? In this episode we’re sharing the results of a large survey asking the UK public what their opinions are, what they know, or more importantly, what they think they know about genetics and...
01.26.2023
S6.02: Would you Adam and Eve it? In search of our earliest genetic ancestors
We’re going back to the very genesis of our species in search of the genetic Adam and Eve - who were they and when did they live?
01.12.2023
S6.01 Baby brain, baby body: the genetics (and epigenetics) of reproduction
We’re going back to the womb to explore the genetics of how to make babies - from finding out how birthweight is linked to the risk of diabetes to investigating the multifaceted role of the hormone prolactin in pregnancy and...
12.15.2022
S525: 2022 Unzipped
It’s the final episode of 2022, so we’re looking back at our favourite genetic stories of the year plus some bonus bits from our interviews that have never been heard before.
12.01.2022
S5.24: Bats, boats and buried bodies: the hidden power of environmental DNA
In this episode we’re testing the air for tigers and digging up dead bodies as we explore the exciting new field of environmental DNA. Dr Sally Le Page chats with Prof. Elizabeth Clare about sampling the DNA of rare species...
11.27.2022
Living with the Eugenic Past: Michele Goodwin
This podcast is part of a miniseries of interviews with speakers from the 2022 annual conference of the Adelphi Genetics Forum - a learned society that aims to promote research and discussion concerning the scientific understanding of human heredity. Formerly...
11.26.2022
Living with the Eugenic Past: Joe Cain
This podcast is part of a miniseries of interviews with speakers from the 2022 annual conference of the Adelphi Genetics Forum - a learned society that aims to promote research and discussion concerning the scientific understanding of human heredity. Formerly...
11.25.2022
Living with the Eugenic Past: Anneke Lucassen
This podcast is part of a miniseries of interviews with speakers from the 2022 annual conference of the Adelphi Genetics Forum - a learned society that aims to promote research and discussion concerning the scientific understanding of human heredity. Formerly...
11.24.2022
Living with the Eugenic Past: Brian Donovan
This podcast is part of a miniseries of interviews with speakers from the 2022 annual conference of the Adelphi Genetics Forum - a learned society that aims to promote research and discussion concerning the scientific understanding of human heredity. Formerly...
11.23.2022
Living with the Eugenic Past: Adam Rutherford
This podcast is part of a miniseries of interviews with speakers from the 2022 annual conference of the Adelphi Genetics Forum - a learned society that aims to promote research and discussion concerning the scientific understanding of human heredity. Formerly...
11.22.2022
Living with the Eugenic Past: Elaine Riddick
CONTENT NOTE: This interview includes discussion of rape, forced sterilisation and first-hand experience of state-sanctioned eugenic policies. This podcast is part of a miniseries of interviews with speakers from the 2022 annual conference of the Adelphi Genetics Forum - a learned...
11.21.2022
Living with the Eugenic Past: Turi King
This podcast is part of a miniseries of interviews with speakers from the 2022 annual conference of the Adelphi Genetics Forum - a learned society that aims to promote research and discussion concerning the scientific understanding of human heredity. Formerly...
11.17.2022
S5.23: Birds and bees… and sardines: the genetics of animal behaviour
In this episode we’re taking a look at the birds and the bees - not like that! - from the unusual migratory habits of European blackcaps and the ‘greatest shoal on earth’ to the division of labour in a beehive,...
11.03.2022
S5.22 Little Shop of Genetic Horrors: the evolution of carnivorous plants
There’s something unnatural about carnivorous plants. We’re so used to plants being at the bottom of the food chain, that to see them trapping, killing and eating animals seems to go against the laws of nature. But of course, carnivory...
10.20.2022
S5.21 Past to present: Searching for evolutionary stories in ancient DNA
We’re exploring what we can discover about our evolution from our DNA, and what evolutionary secrets might be contained in the ancient DNA of our ancestors. Kat Arney looks at why this year’s Nobel Prize awarded for the genomics of...
10.13.2022
BONUS! Big Biology: food for thought - plant domestication and the promise of green super rice
It’s a special bonus episode this week, as we wanted to showcase another podcast we think you’ll like, Big Biology, and featuring their discussion about the domestication and genetic modification of rice.
10.06.2022
S5.20 Bread and fishes: the future of food in a changing climate
In this episode we’re looking at the future of food. With climate change making crop harvests more unpredictable and fresh water becoming a more scarce resource, what are geneticists doing to make sure we will still have food on our...
09.22.2022
S5.19 Let there be light: the origins of photosynthesis
We’re turning the lights on, looking back at the origins of photosynthesis and the mysteries of the chloroplast genome. From The King James Bible to The Great Oxygen Catastrophe, every lungful of air you breathe has a remarkable story.
09.08.2022
S5.18 The Genesis Machine
We’re exploring the frontiers of genetic engineering and synthetic biology with Amy Webb and Andrew Hessel, authors of the new book The Genesis Machine - taking a look at what’s possible now, what’s coming fast in the future, and what...
08.25.2022
S5.17 Genetics of Society: How to be a queen bee
We look at the genetics of societies, exploring how genes underpin the rigid social structures and roles in bees, and how they can rise up the ranks to become queen bee.
08.11.2022
S5.16 Hap-pea 200th birthday, Mendel!
We celebrate the 200th birthday of Gregor Mendel and learn about the latest genetics research that would have blown his mind.
07.28.2022
S5.15 Does size matter when it comes to your genes?
In this episode we’re discovering whether size really does matter - when it comes to your genes and genome, that is. Dr Kat Arney gets to grips with why the human genome has so few genes, why some species have...
07.14.2022
S5.14 Genes, brains and the mind: How much of your personality is encoded in your DNA?
In this episode we’re exploring genes, brains and the mind, as we ask how much of our personality is innate, and whether anything we do as adults can change who we fundamentally are. Presenter, Dr Sally Le Page, sits down...
06.30.2022
S5.13 Genetics at your fingertips: stories from the science of identity
We’re looking at the stories at your fingertips. Dr Sally Le Page uncovers how excrement espionage could bring down a superpower, and unearths a 100 year old family secret. But it’s not just genetic fingerprinting we’re interested in. We also...

What's Genetics Unzipped about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Genetics Unzipped episodes:

S6.27: Next Generation Sequence: Forging new paths in genetics

S6.26: The battle for biology: How Mendel came to rule the world

S6.25: 2023 Unzipped

S6.24: Genes, junk and the ‘dark genome’

S6.23: 40 years of HIV: the disease that broke the rules

S6.22: Dumb luck: Amazing adaptations from happy little accidents

S6.21: Time of your life: how circadian rhythms shape the world

S6.20: That’s so extra: Exploring the weird world of extrachromosomal DNA

S6.19: Food for the future: Helping plants adapt to a changing world

BONUS Hormones: The Inside Story - Is my diabetes my fault?

S6.18: An Evolutionary Revolutionary: Alfred Russel Wallace and the discovery of natural selection

S6.17: Vax to the future: The science of DNA and RNA vaccines

S6.16 Double helix double crossing? What really happened between Rosalind Franklin, James Watson and Francis Crick?

S6.15: Cordelia Langford: Making Big Science Happen

S6.14: Tracking COVID and tackling obesity: Meet this year’s Genetics Society award winners

S6.13: Kings, car parks and consent: should we sequence DNA from human remains?

S6.12: Da Vinci’s DNA: What happens when genetics meets art

S6.11: Meet the DNA Detectives hunting the causes of cancer

S6.10: Space invaders: The amazing adaptations of tardigrades

S6.09: Raiders of Noah’s Ark: Stealing genetic tricks from the animal kingdom

BONUS Re-release S3.22 - The Past, Present and Future of the Human Genome Project

S6.08: Pop goes the genome! Genetics in popular culture

S6.07: Chris Hemsworth took a genetic test for Alzheimer's. Should you?

S6.06: Bye-bye boys: The genetics behind the extinction of males

S6.05: GMO or GM NO? The ethics and realities of genome editing

S6.04: The diagnostic odyssey: A journey into genetic testing for rare diseases

S6.03: Confident, competent or confused: What do you think you know about genetics?

S6.02: Would you Adam and Eve it? In search of our earliest genetic ancestors

S6.01 Baby brain, baby body: the genetics (and epigenetics) of reproduction

S525: 2022 Unzipped

S5.24: Bats, boats and buried bodies: the hidden power of environmental DNA

Living with the Eugenic Past: Michele Goodwin

Living with the Eugenic Past: Joe Cain

Living with the Eugenic Past: Anneke Lucassen

Living with the Eugenic Past: Brian Donovan

Living with the Eugenic Past: Adam Rutherford

Living with the Eugenic Past: Elaine Riddick

Living with the Eugenic Past: Turi King

S5.23: Birds and bees… and sardines: the genetics of animal behaviour

S5.22 Little Shop of Genetic Horrors: the evolution of carnivorous plants

S5.21 Past to present: Searching for evolutionary stories in ancient DNA

BONUS! Big Biology: food for thought - plant domestication and the promise of green super rice

S5.20 Bread and fishes: the future of food in a changing climate

S5.19 Let there be light: the origins of photosynthesis

S5.18 The Genesis Machine

S5.17 Genetics of Society: How to be a queen bee

S5.16 Hap-pea 200th birthday, Mendel!

S5.15 Does size matter when it comes to your genes?

S5.14 Genes, brains and the mind: How much of your personality is encoded in your DNA?

S5.13 Genetics at your fingertips: stories from the science of identity