Ch 5

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Two Genes Can Be Better Than One (October 11, 2007)
Gene duplication gives evolution new raw material to work with—and evolutionary biologist Sean Carroll has tracked how a single yeast gene with two functions gave rise to two genes with specialized talents. Steve Mirsky reports.

Human and Chimp DNA Differences Are Evolution's Record (April 24, 2007)
A commentary on the NY Times editorial page on Monday, April 23rd, notes, perhaps with tongue in cheek, that the approximately one percent difference between human and chimp DNA might be a one percent chance that evolution never happened. Well, not quite.

The Chimp Network (November 21, 2006)
Humans and chimps are very close genetically, but the different ways the genes interact with each other in networks may be what's behind the big differences between us and them.

The Expert Mind and the Interplanetary Bicycle Ride (August 2, 2006)
Humans and chimps are very close genetically, but the different ways the genes interact with each other in networks may be what's behind the big differences between us and them.

This Is Your Brain On Arts (August 2, 2006)
A three-year, multi-institutional study finds that early training in performing arts is really good for the brain. Steve Mirsky reports. For more info, go to www.dana.org.

Leaf It To The Giraffes (December 29, 2006)
An experiment with trees shows that giraffe necks probably did indeed evolve to enable the animals to feed without competition.

The Inevitability Of Cancer's Commonality; and High School Math Whiz (January 10, 2007)
In this episode, author and journalist Carl Zimmer talks about his Scientific American article Evolved For Cancer?, which looks at how natural selection has led to what appears to be an inevitable tendency for human beings to develop the disease.

The Making of the Fittest: A Conversation with Evolutionary Biologist Sean Carroll (October 25, 2006)
In this episode, evolutionary biologist Sean Carroll talks about his new book, "The Making of the Fittest: DNA and the Ultimate Forensic Record of Evolution." Even without fossils or comparative anatomy, vast amounts of evidence for evolution and its mechanisms exist in the genomes of the organisms alive today. Carroll discusses immortal genes, fossil genes and repetition in evolution, as well as environmental issues in light of evolutionary understanding. Plus we'll test your knowledge of some recent science in the news. Websites mentioned on this episode include www.seanbcarroll.com; www.egrandslam.com; www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/babies; www.sciam.com/news; www.sciam.com/podcast.

Founder Mutations Stay In The Family (January 10, 2008)
Some mutations, including those responsible for genetic diseases, can be traced back to the first individual who exhibited the new genetic construct. Cynthia Graber reports.