Podcasts by Naked Genetics, from the Naked Scientists
From plants to pathogens, fruit flies to fungi and hamsters to humans, Naked Genetics takes a look at the science of genes. With in-depth interviews and the latest discoveries from the world of genetics, tune in for a look inside your genes...
Further podcasts by Phil Sansom
Podcast on the topic Biowissenschaften
All episodes
Is vegetarianism genetic, and the penis-eating spider from 2023-11-14T12:38:44
This episode, we catch up with some of the more curious genetics news from the past month including how much Neanderthal is in you and how that affects your risk of disease. Also, we look at one of...
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COVID In Your Genes: The Risk Factors from 2021-04-14T11:46:10
Do our genes control how we respond to COVID? The question has been nagging at the world since the pandemic began. Now we have the answer - and it's yes. In this programme, geneticist Nathan Pearso...
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The Genes Who Came in for the Cold from 2021-03-17T20:12:10
How do we cope at the extremes of low temperature? Across the world, groups of people have historically made their home in icy and inhospitable landscapes... and even today, groups of thrill seeker...
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How To Tell Coronavirus Variants Apart from 2021-02-24T12:32:04
We're looking at the most critical variants of the coronavirus, and finding out how to tell whether they're flummoxing COVID vaccines. Plus: the cost of catching a serial killer; DNA with four stra...
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Identical Twins: Not Identical? from 2021-01-15T05:49
Meet the small DNA differences that make their mark by existing in the magical period of early development. We'll hear how mutations in the very first stages of human embryos have bizarre consequen...
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RNA vaccines, privacy, and penguins from 2020-12-17T05:56:37
The first group of people in the world have received a 'genetic' vaccine against the coronavirus. What is it, and how does it work? Naked Scientist Chris Smith breaks it down and addresses your con...
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Mink, Ivory,&a Disease Discovered Backwards from 2020-11-13T05:53:57
It's a regular Noah's Ark: from the coronavirus strains that have been spreading through minks, to a new DNA test that can track poached elephant ivory, to the genetics of a very useful - and very ...
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Slave Trade, Neanderthals,&COVID from 2020-10-16T06:31:12
This week: a risk factor for severe COVID that comes from Neanderthals; using genes to track the millions transported as slaves across the Atlantic; a doctor runs through the list of what coronavir...
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How To Survive Poison from 2020-09-14T05:28:55
This week, a message from Naked Scientists listener Loretta. "I'm curious if your show might cover some of the most interesting case studies of organisms developing tolerance to severe toxins, what...
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The Inner Lives of Birds from 2020-08-19T03:53:03
Tweet tweet! We're talking birds, and the incredible things they can do. Today we're spotlighting five of the coolest recent stories in bird genetics: hummingbirds powering their lightning-fast fli...
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Female Mosaicism: The Stronger Sex? from 2020-07-15T03:22
The same thing that makes the patchwork colours on a tortoiseshell cat, also - according to some - is why human females live longer, see colour better, and even more often survive the coronavirus. ...
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Fermented foods: the real deal? from 2020-06-15T02:56:52
We take a look at the trendy world of fermented foods. Are they actually good for you? And if so, why? Plus, the latest genetics news: from bacteria that live inside cancer cells, to gene sequencin...
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ACE2: The Coronavirus Gateway from 2020-05-14T02:55:23
Are you one of the many people who take ACE inhibitors or ARBs to treat high blood pressure? Or to help with heart issues or diabetes? In the UK, this is about one in seven people, making these are...
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The Coronavirus Mutation Situation from 2020-04-15T11:46:53
In this episode we're taking apart the tiny creature behind this global pandemic. From how looking at the genes of the coronavirus can help figure out the animal it comes from; to the exact ways it...
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Gene Genealogy&The Lost Family from 2020-03-14T02:05:29
One of the biggest tech booms of the past half decade has been direct to consumer DNA tests. The results come in the post, and with them come both answers and new questions: questions that tens of ...
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FOXG1 Syndrome: Fighting the Odds from 2020-02-20T07:32:53
Listener Vivek got in touch with a question about a rare genetic disease his son has, called FOXG1 Syndrone. In fact, it's so rare - and so newly-discovered - that only about six hundred people in ...
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The Fly Infest-agation from 2020-01-14T08:42:28
We got a Christmas present from listener Anna: a small plastic tube full of dead flies. They've recently been infesting the hospital where she works. She wants us to figure out what they are, and w...
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African genetics and ethics from 2019-12-14T10:04:37
There are very few African studies in genetics. And on the whole, there is a big European bias in the field. In Europe there are resources of hundreds of thousands of individuals' data, like the UK...
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What's in the water? from 2019-11-14T05:35:06
This month we're diving into the stuff that makes up two thirds of the Earth's surface. Can you use genetics to figure out what's in the water? We put the science to the test by making a geneticist...
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Quadrillions: Sequencing the UK Biobank from 2019-10-14T06:26:48
Half a million genomes. That's how many the UK Biobank has, stored as blood samples in freezers up in Manchester. And in September 2019 they announced a project to sequence every single one of them...
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The Dog Show from 2019-09-14T05:27:49
It's a doggy dog world... in this episode we're talking pugs, bulldogs, and French bulldogs. They've all been bred for flat faces, but their airways haven't shrunk alongside their skulls - meaning ...
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Mendel's Trick from 2019-08-14T05:10:53
Naked Genetics is back with new episodes every month! Today we're taking a step back. Where does genetics actually come from? How did we get to today's world of genome sequences and gene editing? I...
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Decoding a Mammoth with George Church from 2019-03-24T00:00
Join Harvard DNA pioneer George Church and Chris Smith in conversation as they discuss gene cloning, DNA sequencing, decoding the mammoth genome, the risks posed by fossil viruses lurking in extinc...
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The CRISPR baby controversy from 2018-12-21T00:00
In November, He Jiankui claimed that two genetically engineered children have been born. Did he really do it? And if so, what are the ramifications for the babies and for the field? Georgia Mills...
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The future of forensic genetics from 2018-04-14T00:00
We're returning to the scene of the crime with another look at the latest techniques in the world of forensic genetics - can we really predict physical features or even ethnicity from your DNA, and...
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A Festival of Genomics from 2018-03-14T00:00
We're off to a festival - but before you worry about where your tent and wellies are, it's the Festival of Genomics, held at a clean and dry conference centre in London rather than a muddy field fu...
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Crime scene genes from 2018-02-14T00:00
It's CSI Naked Genetics, as we find out how genetic technology is used to solve crimes. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked...
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Back to the womb from 2018-01-14T00:00
We take a trip back to the womb and before, to find out about early development. Plus, the importance of placentas, why the age of your womb rather than your eggs matters, and a video game-inspire...
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The future of genomic medicine from 2017-12-14T00:00
This month we're finding out how genetic advances are shaping the future of healthcare at the Genetics Society autumn meeting. Plus, signposts for bees and an operatic gene of the month. Like this ...
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Matchmaking at the zoo from 2017-11-14T00:00
This month we're off to the zoo to meet some lovelorn laughing thrushes, endangered snails, and the Cilla Black of Sumatran Tigers. Plus, a sneak preview of this year's Genetics Society JBS Haldane...
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Evolution's luxury item from 2017-10-14T00:00
You're a mammal. I'm a mammal. Your pet cat or dog is a mammal, as are whales, lemurs, pandas and polar bears. But what exactly is a mammal, and what can our genes tell us about our evolution? Plus...
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Exposing the contents of your genes from 2017-09-14T00:00
Would you ever consider donating your genome to research? We meet a man who has, and find out why. Plus, we get our hands dirty in the search for new antibiotics, take a look at the ethics of human...
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Store, write, edit from 2017-08-14T00:00
As scientists announce that they have used CRISPR technology to fix a faulty gene in a human embryo - not for the first time, but more accurately than ever before - we take a look at storing, writi...
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Genes and dementia from 2017-07-14T00:00
This month we're taking a look at the role that genes play in dementia, and finding out how researchers are using this knowledge to develop urgently-needed treatments. Plus, a big release of big da...
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Bees, tress and 3-D genes from 2017-06-14T00:00
This month we're literally getting inside our genes, as we explore chromosomes through a 3-dimensional virtual reality art, music and science project. Plus, researchers are turning to bees, trees a...
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Tackling tumours, curing cancer from 2017-05-14T00:00
This month we're zooming in on cancer, finding out how researchers are tackling tumours in unprecedented detail. Plus, our gene of the month is the guardian of your genome, rather than the galaxy. ...
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Battle of the sexes from 2017-04-14T00:00
We might joke about the battle of the sexes, but it turns out that this is actually true - at least for a hundred or so imprinted genes. Plus, what opossums can teach us about sex, reporting back f...
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Putting genomics to work from 2017-03-15T00:00
The DNA sequencing revolution is providing ever more data about genomes from all kinds of species, from humans to bacteria. But how do we make sense of it all? Who gets their hands on it? And how d...
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Science and the single cell from 2017-02-14T00:00
Our bodies are made up of trillions of cells - but these aren't mere biological building blocks, as inert as bricks. They're constantly communicating and changing. So how do scientists measure this...
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Genes, laws and Brexit from 2017-01-14T00:00
We hear a lot about genetic modification and how it's being used to improve agriculture. But who decides whether modified crops can be grown? Do new gene editing techniques like CRISPR count as GM?...
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All human life is here from 2016-12-14T00:00
The story of human evolution is long and complicated, but the simple truth is - you're only here because your ancestors got lucky. Plus, we wind the clock back to the very start of human life, and ...
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Searching for switches from 2016-11-14T00:00
This month we're delving into the junk in the genome - or, to put it more correctly - our non-coding DNA. Less than 2 per cent of the human genome contains protein-coding genes, so what does all th...
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Testing, testing from 2016-10-14T00:00
We hear more than ever about the secrets hidden in our genes, from our risk of diseases to traits such as intelligence or even sporting ability. But can we really test for them? And just because we...
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Hello Dolly from 2016-09-14T00:00
This month we've got a special bonus-length podcast commemorating twenty years since the birth of Dolly the Sheep, the first mammal cloned from an adult cell. Her birth changed the scientific world...
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40 years of selfishness from 2016-08-14T00:00
40 years ago Richard Dawkins' The Selfish Gene hit the shelves. We look back on how it changed the way many people think about genetics. Plus, linking nurture to nature, and a gigantic gene of the ...
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Signal to noise from 2016-07-14T00:00
Building a baby is a complicated business, with millions of cells needing to work together. So how does it happen? Plus, how big data is making big strides in big genes, and our gene of the month ...
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Genes for all from 2016-06-14T00:00
Genes, genomes and genetic technology are playing increasingly important parts in our lives, industries, food and healthcare, and at a point in the not-too-distant future we're probably going to ha...
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Check your compatibility from 2016-05-14T00:00
You may not realise it, but your health, immune system and even love-life are governed by the particular set of so-called compatibility genes that you inherit. There are thousands of different vari...
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What's in your genes? from 2016-04-14T00:00
As the costs of DNA analysis come down, we've seen the rise of direct-to-consumer genetic testing, allowing anyone to spit in a tube, pop it in the post and get a personalised readout direct to the...
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Designer genes from 2016-03-14T00:00
The recent invention of powerful precision tools for editing the human genome - known as CRISPR, has opened up new worlds of possibilities for researchers seeking to understand how our genes work -...
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Crazy for CRISPR from 2016-02-14T00:00
It's the hottest new biotechnology technique to hit the headlines since well, since ever. CRISPR is a precision set of genome editing tools enabling scientists to cut and paste together DNA in any ...
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Naked Genetics 47 from 2016-01-14T00:00
This month we bring you a bumper edition, packed full of all our favourite bits from the past four years. Like this podcast? Please help us by su...
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Naked Genetics 46 from 2015-12-14T00:00
Synthetic biology - engineering life - is set to revolutionise the world, but how? We'll be hearing about some of the most exciting applications for synthetic biology, and how it's being commercial...
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Why don't elephants get cancer? from 2015-11-14T00:00
Animals like elephants and whales are made up of many more cells than a human, or a mouse, and they live far longer. Yet they hardly ever get cancer - and the big question is why? Plus, revolutions...
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Engineering life from 2015-10-14T00:00
Imagine designing bacteria that can do whatever you want - from cleaning up oil spills to churning out the latest cancer treatments - ordering the biological parts online and building it in a coupl...
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Hundreds and Thousands from 2015-09-14T00:00
When it comes to figuring out which genes and genetic variations are linked to particular traits and diseases, there's only one way to do it, and that's to go large, with cohort studies involving h...
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Mysterious methylation from 2015-08-14T00:00
There's more to life than the four letters of DNA, and our cells use a chemical tag known as DNA methylation to mark out certain parts of the genome, helping cells to remember what they're doing. A...
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The wonderful world of epigenetics from 2015-07-14T00:00
Genes are the instructions that tell our cells what to do, but how do different types of cells know which genes to switch on or off at the right time? The solution lies in epigenetics - the molecul...
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Breeding a better cow from 2015-06-14T00:00
For centuries, breeders have been selecting plants and animals with desirable genetic traits. So how have some of these changes come about, and where will new genetic technologies take our food in ...
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The story of maize from 2015-05-14T00:00
You may not realise it, but all the food you eat has been genetically altered over time by plant and animal breeders, capturing advantageous traits to grow more nutritious and easy-to-farm foods as...
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Patenting and preserving genes from 2015-04-14T00:00
There are few things in life as important as the food we eat, but making sure that we guard the genes in our crops for the future is just as important. Plus, we take a look at some of the intellect...
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A hundred thousand genomes from 2015-03-14T00:00
Over the past year the Government has unveiled an audacious programme under the banner of Genomics England, aiming to sequence the genomes of 100,000 people affected by cancer and rare genetic dise...
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Genetically Modified plants from 2015-02-14T00:00
Genetically modified, or GM, crops are a hot topic. Some people are deeply suspicious of the technology while others see it as an effective and efficient way of generating bountiful, healthier harv...
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Clever mice and drunken flies from 2015-01-14T00:00
How do we learn complex tasks like playing the piano? Why can we remember things better after a good night's sleep? And why do people - and fruit flies - drink again after the hangover from hell? T...
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Searching for the engram from 2014-12-14T00:00
For many years scientists have been searching for the mysterious engram - the place in the brain where memories are kept. And thanks to advances in genetics and neurobiology, it looks like they're ...
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Targeting cancer genes from 2014-11-14T00:00
Every year in the UK more than 330,000 people are diagnosed with cancer. The good news is that more and more are surviving, and there's hope that the new generation of genetic research and targeted...
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Genes, ageing and metabolism from 2014-10-14T00:00
Could we one day be popping pills that tweak our metabolism and make us live longer? It's not as far off as you might think. Plus, the cow genome goes large, bat flu flies into focus, and an untidy...
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Long live our genes from 2014-09-14T00:00
Every day we get older, and whether you're desperately resisting the march of time, or embracing the ageing process, most of us would agree we want to live as long, healthy lives as possible. We'll...
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Genes for sore eyes from 2014-08-14T00:00
From the beauty of a sunset or the ugliness of war to the smile on a loved one's face, our eyes bring us all kinds of information about the world around us. now researchers are working to develop n...
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Issues for genetic testing from 2014-07-14T00:00
Whether we like it or not, we're heading further along the road of genetic testing, not just for single genes but for complex diseases and even ancestry. But can the results of gene tests change ou...
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Gene therapy - Cystic fibrosis, blindness and more from 2014-06-14T00:00
Twenty years ago, gene therapy was a great hope for the future of medicine - directly tinkering with faulty genes to cure diseases, but progress has been slow. Now, things seem to be changing. Plus...
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Nature, nurture and wiring the brain from 2014-05-14T00:00
The more we understand about the genetic variations that affect our brains, the more questions are raised - for example, are we a product of nature or nurture, and what should we test for? Plus, wh...
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Genes, depression and schizophrenia from 2014-04-14T00:00
Around one in four adults in the UK experiences mental health problems in any year, and mental illness is a major problem for sufferers, their loved ones, and society. It's becoming clear that gene...
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DNA damage and repair from 2014-03-14T00:00
Every second your DNA is under assault - not just from chemicals in our environment or food, but from the hurly-burly of life within our own cells. We'll be finding out how DNA gets damaged and rep...
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Smells like gene spirit from 2014-02-14T00:00
Smell is probably the oldest sense, hardwired right into our brains and closely linked to memory. Now researchers are trying to unravel the complex genetics that underpin it. Plus, contagious dog g...
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Now hear this from 2014-01-14T00:00
Hearing loss is distressing, whether it occurs later in life or in childhood. Now researchers are starting to unpick the genetic causes behind some of these problems. Plus, mice on drugs, stress an...
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Taking shape from 2013-12-14T00:00
Across the natural world, cells organise themselves into a wonderful array of shapes and structures. But how do they do this? Plus, building bones, plant sex in space, and a rather plump gene of th...
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Come together from 2013-11-14T00:00
All living cells are made up of protein molecules - but how do they organise themselves into structures? Plus bee sex, tough mice, and a happily married gene of the month. Like this podcast? Please...
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Have a heart from 2013-10-14T00:00
The heart is a vital biological pump, beating around a billion times in a lifetime. But faulty genes can cause big problems. Plus, taming the tiger genome, solving citrus sickness, and our gene of ...
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Genes and genealogy from 2013-09-14T00:00
Who do you think you are? And is the answer in your genes? This month we're delving into genes and genealogy. Plus, putting an end to genetic determinism, and an ancient Egyptian gene of the month....
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Genes, infections and immunity from 2013-08-14T00:00
Why can some people stay fit as a fiddle, while other seem to catch every bug that's going? As you might expect, the answer lies in our genes. Plus, a multitude of mutant mice, the state of gene th...
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Let's talk about sex from 2013-07-14T00:00
Summer loving is in the air, so what better time to think about sex? But we're not going to get graphic - we're talking about the genetics of sex determination. Plus, why turkeys need a wingman, fi...
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The future of fingerprinting from 2013-06-14T00:00
Our genes are our unique calling card, and DNA analysis has been used to solve crimes and resolve paternity disputes for decades. Now new genetic technology promises to revolutionise medicine. Plus...
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Genomics - Hope or hype? from 2013-05-14T00:00
Genetic technology is expanding at a pace that few can keep up with, with huge amounts of data being generated every week. But is this explosion of information delivering meaningful advances for pa...
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Doing the twist - packing DNA from 2013-04-14T00:00
Almost every single cell of your body is packed with more than two metres of DNA, containing your genes. But not only does it have to be packed up to fit in there, it also has to be organised and r...
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Beautiful otherness - autism genetics from 2013-03-14T00:00
It's thought that around one in a hundred children in the UK is somewhere on the autistic spectrum - a complex range of disorders that can be challenging to understand and live with. But recent adv...
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The wonderful world of RNA from 2013-02-14T00:00
You've probably heard of DNA, but what do you know about RNA? As well as being the molecule that shuttles information from our genes into our cells, it also plays a huge number of other roles in al...
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Fitting into your genes - the genetics of obesity from 2013-01-14T00:00
The gym is full, the pubs are empty - it can only be January, as a good proportion of the population resolves to shape up and lose weight. But are your efforts going to help you fit into your jeans...
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Cancer genetics - When good cells go bad from 2012-12-14T00:00
Cancer is literally the enemy within us -it starts when our own cells get damaged and go rogue, multiplying out of control and spreading around body. But how can we use new genetic knowledge to bea...
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The genetics of germs from 2012-11-14T00:00
Our world - and our bodies - are teeming with bacteria. And although some of them are friendly, many of them are not. Plus, electrifying news about bacterial nanowires, cuddly koalas, and counting ...
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Stop bugging me! The genetics of bedbugs and other insects from 2012-10-14T00:00
They suck your blood, hitch-hike on your luggage, and are a growing threat to the hotel industry. Bedbugs are a growing problem in the modern jet-set world, and scientists are using genetic techniq...
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Epigenetics and reprogramming - turning back the clock from 2012-09-14T00:00
We've all heard of the genetic code - the letters that spell out the instructions in our DNA. But that's not the whole story. Researchers are increasingly digging into the epigenetic code - the mar...
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Genes and genomes from 2012-08-14T00:00
It's now over a decade since the human genome was first sequenced, costing over a billion pounds and taking 13 years. Today, we're close to the thousand dollar genome. But what's in a genome, and w...
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Hacking biology - synthetic DNA and experimental evolution from 2012-07-14T00:00
Every biology student is familiar with DNA - the ladder-like blueprint of life built on a backbone of the sugar deoxyribose. Scientists are now hacking this structure to make entirely new DNA-like ...
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Tackling neurodegenerative diseases from 2012-06-14T00:00
Complex, mysterious and currently incurable - the challenge for researchers working on neurodegenerative diseases is huge. We'll be finding out how scientists are using genetic approaches to unders...
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The world of top (genetics) models from 2012-05-14T00:00
This month we're taking a look at the world of top models - not the kind that won't get out of bed for less than ten grand, but the model organisms used by researchers all over the world to answer ...
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Developmental genetics - from one cell to many from 2012-04-14T00:00
This month we're taking a trip into the world of developmental genetics, finding out how an animal grows from one cell into many millions as it develops from a fertilised egg, and discovering how i...
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Genes and evolution - from populations to tumours from 2012-03-14T00:00
From whole populations to individual cancers, we're taking a look at genes and evolution. We're also talking about dogs and their diseases, shining a light on Van Gogh's sunflowers, and wondering w...
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