Big Picture Science

The Evolution of Evolution


Listen Later

Darwinian evolution is adaptive and slow … millennia can go by before a species changes very much. But with the tools of genetic engineering we can now make radical changes in just one generation. By removing genes or inserting new ones, we can give an organism radically different traits and behaviors. We are taking evolution into our own hands.

It all began with the domestication of plants and animals, which one science writer says created civilization. Today, as humans tinker with their own genome, is it possible we will produce Homo sapiens 2.0?

Also, what happens to those species who can’t control their destiny? How climate change is forcing the biggest genetic reshuffling in recorded history.

Guests:

•  Richard Francis – Science writer, author of Domesticated: Evolution in a Man-Made World

•  Juan Enriquez – Academic, businessman, author, founding director of the Life Sciences Project, Harvard Business School, managing director, Excel Venture Management, and author of Evolving Ourselves: How Unnatural Selection and Nonrandom Mutation are Changing Life on Earth


•  Jessica Hellmann – Biologist, University of Notre Dame

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Big Picture ScienceBy Big Picture Science

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

899 ratings


More shows like Big Picture Science

View all
Science Friday by Science Friday and WNYC Studios

Science Friday

6,133 Listeners

The Deadpod by J.Henrikson

The Deadpod

1,207 Listeners

Nature Podcast by Springer Nature Limited

Nature Podcast

756 Listeners

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science by The Planetary Society

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science

1,344 Listeners

Science Magazine Podcast by Science Magazine

Science Magazine Podcast

811 Listeners

Science Quickly by Scientific American

Science Quickly

612 Listeners

Radio Detective Story Hour by Dennis Humphrey

Radio Detective Story Hour

393 Listeners

Common Sense with Dan Carlin by Dan Carlin

Common Sense with Dan Carlin

11,326 Listeners

Dan Carlin's Hardcore History by Dan Carlin

Dan Carlin's Hardcore History

63,507 Listeners

Astronomy Cast by Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela Gay

Astronomy Cast

2,866 Listeners

Meditation Oasis by Mary and Richard Maddux

Meditation Oasis

3,922 Listeners

Brain Science with Ginger Campbell, MD: Neuroscience for Everyone by Ginger Campbell, MD

Brain Science with Ginger Campbell, MD: Neuroscience for Everyone

817 Listeners

Philosophy Bites by Edmonds and Warburton

Philosophy Bites

1,532 Listeners

Science In Action by BBC World Service

Science In Action

344 Listeners

Unexpected Elements by BBC World Service

Unexpected Elements

355 Listeners

Universe Today Podcast by Fraser Cain

Universe Today Podcast

544 Listeners

Ask a Spaceman! by Paul M. Sutter

Ask a Spaceman!

804 Listeners

The Quanta Podcast by Quanta Magazine

The Quanta Podcast

499 Listeners

SpaceTime: Your Guide to Space & Astronomy by Stuart Gary

SpaceTime: Your Guide to Space & Astronomy

320 Listeners

Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Addendum by Dan Carlin

Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Addendum

8,234 Listeners

Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe by iHeartPodcasts

Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe

2,307 Listeners

The Supermassive Podcast by The Royal Astronomical Society

The Supermassive Podcast

287 Listeners

Why This Universe? by Dan Hooper, Shalma Wegsman

Why This Universe?

363 Listeners