Genetic Data and Black Americans with Dr. Janina Jeff Ringo
Curiosity Weekly
Warner Bros. Discovery
4.6 • 935 Ratings
🗓️ 18 June 2025
⏱️ 28 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Genetic testing has had some ups and downs over the past few years, with wide swaths of data sets setting a precedent for potential individualized healthcare. But, oftentimes, that data misrepresents African-descended individuals and doesn’t paint the whole picture. Population geneticist Dr. Janina Jeff Ringo joins host Dr. Samantha Yammine to discuss what we can learn from genetic testing, and the gaps that sociologists are trying to fill in.
Sam also explores a fascinating new study that claims to have nailed down the perfect cacio e pepe recipe and a potential solution to the growing strain on global rice yields.
Link to Show Notes HERE
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | 50 years after Jaws scared an entire generation out of the water. |
| 0:04.5 | I looked down. |
| 0:05.9 | There was this great big head, these big white teeth. |
| 0:10.6 | Radio Lab is pulling you back in. |
| 0:13.2 | It was just like so much fear building of what's going to come out of that blue. |
| 0:17.3 | Listen to swimming with shadows. |
| 0:19.9 | A radio lab week of sharks. Anything you dig down on |
| 0:23.1 | is fascinating these creatures. Wherever you get podcasts. |
| 0:31.8 | Welcome back Curiosity Crew. I'm Dr. Samantha Amin. And if you've ever wondered how one tube of spit can give ancestry and health answers to anyone, well, me too. |
| 0:45.3 | And it turns out it's not that simple. Not all spit tests are equal. |
| 0:49.3 | It's not just a sample size problem. It's partly a sample size problem, but it's also a technology problem. It's also |
| 0:56.7 | a community engagement problem. It's also a science and STEM education problem. There isn't as much |
| 1:03.6 | representation. That's population geneticist Dr. Janina Jeff Ringo. I'm going to talk with her about race, |
| 1:10.1 | history, and medicine in the U.S. |
| 1:12.5 | And also why those spit tests and other genetic research doesn't serve everyone equally. |
| 1:17.8 | And then, rice is in trouble. And with climate change bringing more heat waves, especially hot |
| 1:23.6 | nights, that trouble is growing. Recently, scientists revealed a big breakthrough, a genetic |
| 1:29.4 | variant that helps rice keep its quality and yield even under heat stress. We'll dig into what |
| 1:35.3 | that means for global food security and maybe even for your next bottle of sake. Before we get into |
| 1:40.6 | that, let's talk about caccio and pepe. Because who doesn't love a creamy, cheesy bowl of pasta with just the right kick of pepper? |
| 1:49.1 | It turns out the best sauce has everything to do with physics. |
| 1:53.9 | And don't forget to leave a review on Apple Podcasts and drop a comment or question about something you want to hear about next while you're at it. |
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