Tonight, the Perpetual Notion Machine digs into our archive of shows to rebroadcast an edited version that originally aired on January 17, 2008. Our guest was John Hawks, anthropologist and evolutionist at UW-Madison. With his research into various genetic sequences of the human genome and at times, the use of some convenient mummified DNA, he […]
Gene Editing and Pompe Disease
Tonight, the Perpetual Notion Machine again explores the realm of gene editing. Five years ago this month, PNM talked with biomedical engineer Kris Saha about the process and techniques of gene editing. Borrowing an innate immunity mechanism in bacteria called CRISPR, and its Cas9 protein, scientists have been learning how to use, or essentially program, […]
Taking Evolutionary Theory to a World View
In tonight’s episode of the Perpetual Notion Machine, we learn about the nature of Darwin’s theory of evolution, you know, the biological processes of natural selection to improve a species survival. But our guest, David Sloan Wilson, expands that theory more broadly to everything associated with the words “human,” “culture,” and “policy,” to what he […]
Genetically Edited and Organic?
If you shop at an organic food store or co-op, you’ll likely see many fruits and vegetables proudly labeled as organic, and “GMO-free.” To many consumers, “genetically modified organism” suggests a Dr. Frankenstein conglomeration of weird pieces of genetic code, like salmon genes in a tomato, welded together through the techniques of genetic engineering/. But, […]
Curriculum Voco: Abby Lamb (PhD Candidate)
On this episode, we continue our deep-dive to learn more about unlikely scientists and their complicated lives as they design the biomolecular underpinnings of the world of tomorrow. At some point, every fledgling scientist woke up in the morning, looked in the mirror and thought to themselves, “challenge accepted”. In case you had any preconceptions […]
Childhood Stress Can Alter Genes, New UW Research Finds
A new study finds that children who experience severe stress as kids develop different kinds of genetic markers than those who have relatively tranquil upbringings. Friday host Jonathan Zarov speaks with Dr. Leslie Seltzer, researcher at the Waisman Center and co-lead author of this study in the emerging scientific field of epigenetics.
