Gattaca

In this genetically-engineered episode, Andrew and Ben are joined in the Shed by Becky Brooks to talk about Gattaca, and to unzip the complexities of DNA.

Becky is working on her PhD in biochemistry, and tells us about some of the science behind the film, as well as why she enjoys it as a tense thriller and an exploration of scientific ethics. She also gives Ben and Andrew a primer on the basics of genetic science, and explains some more mysterious concepts, including junk DNA and jumping genes.

Andrew is intrigued by the space missions that spark the film's plot, and is intrigued by the appearance of a 12-fingered pianist in one scene. We also touch on the science and murky history of eugenics, and speculate about some of the scientific advances that are bringing us closer to the world of Gattaca.

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Slow Brew Club

The Cosmic Shed is supported by The Lab, who provide us with delicious free coffee for our recording sessions courtesy of their Slow Brew Club subscription service.

To find out more visit Slow Brew Club, follow @slowbrewclub on Twitter, join them on Facebook, or check out their blog on Ello. 

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Show notes

You can follow Becky on Twitter, and find out more about Pint of Science, which brings science to pubs around the world every May.

23andMe, the gene screening service Ben talks about, doesn't support The Cosmic Shed, but does advertise on a number of our favourite podcasts, including Radiolab.

The Scientific American article Ben quotes from is called Are We Too Close to Making Gattaca a Reality?

For more about the possibilities of life on Titan, have a look at this infographic at space.com.

For all you DragonForce music and merchandise needs, visit the band's website.

Here is Ben's double helix acrostic poem: