Destiny and DNA: Our Pliable Genome
YouTube Video
Our genes strictly dictate our personalities, appearance and diseases. Or do they? Research has revealed that genes can turn on and off; they can be expressed for years and then silenced. Sometimes, they are never activated. And these genetic instructions—how and when DNA is read—can be determined by the experiences of one’s ancestors, even those several generations back. Epigenetics studies these instructions, the biological markers along our DNA that regulate gene expression in response to features like age or environment, and which can influence the traits we pass onto our children. Glimpse into the future with scientists at the forefront of this emerging field as they reveal the role our genetic markers play in steering our biological destiny. This program is part of the Big Ideas Series, made possible with support from the John Templeton Foundation. The World Science Festival gathers great minds in science and the arts to produce live and digital content that allows a broad general audience to engage with scientific discoveries. Our mission is to cultivate a general public informed by science, inspired by its wonder, convinced of its value, and prepared to engage with its implications for the future.
This resource is related to Course II: Who Are You? Self and Other. If you are interested in purchasing this course from our on-demand library of courses click here.
[Genome. Epigenetics. DNA.]