This compilation of video segments provides a wide-ranging look inside genetic science and what it reveals about human life and evolution. Case studies and expert interviews take viewers through recent genetic breakthroughs as well as their moral, ethical, and legal implications.
The episodes are:
Lab of the Future: Sequencing the human genome has transformed biology, turning it into an information science in which computing power is the key tool. This segment shows how the new computer-driven genetics has begun to unlock the secret of life.
Array of Life: It took scientists decades to learn how to sequence the human genome. Now it is being done every day in labs across the country—thanks to a groundbreaking research method. This report sheds light on the procedure known as gene microarray analysis.
The Code Cracker: In this segment, viewers meet Francis Collins, director of the Human Genome Project at NIH. Unlike many of his colleagues, Collins rejected the promise of earning millions in the private sector and is as concerned with the ethics of genetic research as he is with the science itself.
The Double’s Double Helix: Find out why a pair of twins underwent DNA testing to determine if they were conceived from one egg, thus making them monozygotic, or from two, which would mean they are dizygotic twins.
Night of the Twisted Helix: The human genome is far from being a fixed target. Discover why we are all mutants under the skin, why some mutations are good and others bad, and why it is not so much the spelling of the human genome as its misspelling that makes the difference.
Genes of Risk Taking: What makes someone want to be a skydiver, a fighter pilot, or a race car driver? This segment looks at the genetic factors behind a thrill-seeking personality—and why, if the addiction isn’t satisfied, depression or more serious illnesses can set in.
A Gene Called Ace: New research suggests the existence of one amazing gene that can predict a person’s level of physical fitness—and perhaps even offers a cure for cancer. This report presents a remarkable British study on the ACE gene.
(61 minutes)