Genetics

In Our Time

BBC

History

4.6 • 9.2K Ratings

🗓️ 13 December 2001

⏱️ 28 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Melvyn Bragg looks at the development of the science of genetics. In the 1850s and 60s, in a monastery garden in Burno in Moravia, a Franciscan monk was cultivating peas. He began separating the wrinkly peas from the shiny peas and studying which characteristics were passed on when the next crop of peas were grown. In this slow and systematic way Gregor Mendel worked out the basic law of heredity and stumbled upon what was later to be described as the fundamental unit of life itself…the gene.But Mendel’s work was ignored when he published his findings in 1865, and it was not until the 20th century that he was rediscovered and the science of genetics was born. What effect did the discovery of the gene have on Darwin’s ideas? How do our genes work upon us, and how can we manipulate them?With Steve Jones, Professor of Genetics and Head of the Galton Laboratory at University College London, Richard Dawkins, Charles Simonyi Professor of the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University and the genetic scientist Linda Partridge, NERC Research Professor at the Galton Laboratory, University College London.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Thanks for downloading the In Our Time podcast. For more details about In Our Time and for our terms of use
0:05.4	Please go to bbc.co.uk forward slash radio for I hope you enjoy the program
0:11.2	Hello in the 1850s and 60s in a monastery garden in Burno in Moravia a
0:16.4	Franciscan monk was cultivating peas
0:18.7	He began separating the yellow from the green peas the wrinkly peas from the shiny peas and studied which
0:24.2	Characteristics were passed on when the next crop of peas were grown in this slow and systematic way
0:29.3	Gregor Mendel worked out the basic law of heredity and stumbled upon what was later to be described as the fundamental unit of life itself the gene
0:37.8	Mendels's work was ignored when he published his findings in 1865 and it wasn't until the 20th century that he was
0:43.8	Rediscovered and the signs of genetics was born
0:46.7	What effect did the discovery of the gene have retrospectively on Darwin's ideas?
0:51.1	How do our genes work upon us and how can we manipulate them much has been said on the morality of genetics
0:57.2	But here to discuss the history and science of the gene is Steve Jones professor of genetics at University College London
1:03.6	An author of many books including the language of genes and almost like a whale origin of the species updated
1:09.6	Also, here's Richard Dawkins Charles Simone professor of the public understanding of science at Oxford University
1:15.5	Who's the author of books such as the shelf is the selfish gene and unweaving the rainbow and the genetic scientist Linda Partridge
1:22.6	NERC research professor at the Golden Laboratory University College London
1:27.6	Steve Jones, let's start with Mendel
1:30.0	Why did he choose peas?
1:32.3	How did he go about it and how did he when did he know he'd made some sort of breakthrough enough to publish which he did?
1:38.8	Big questions unfortunately, I don't have my slides with me
1:40.9	He chose peas because they differ from each other in
1:46.2	Striking characters discrete and different characters
	...

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