Adam Rutherford on Creation, synthetic biology and hip-hop

Geneticist and self-proclaimed geek, Adam Rutherford talks about his new book, Creation: The Origin of Life/The Future of Life, and what hip-hop can teach us about synthetic biology.
Our 40,000-year obsession with remixing organisms began with the earliest figurative art, and via Enfields, Jackalopes and the Bavarian Wölpertinger, became a reality with the advent of genetic engineering. This year, we celebrate not only the 60th anniversary of the structure of DNA, but the 40th anniversary of both the invention of gene manipulation by Paul Berg, and of hip-hop by DJ Kool Herc. These things are more closely tied than is immediately apparent. The evolution of music is notably similar to biological evolution, and the arrival of sampling closely mimics synthetic biology as wholesale pieces of other organisms are swapped to add functions and behaviours for our purposes. And now, as with the copyright issues that strangled creativity in hip hop, patents in genetics act as crippling hindrances to scientific progress.
Adam Rutherford is a geneticist, writer and broadcaster, whose work includes the award-winning series The Cell (BBC4), The Gene Code (BBC4), Horizon: 'Playing God' (BBC2) as well as numerous programmes for BBC Radio 4. He is an editor at the science journal Nature, writes for The Guardian and has given numerous prestigious lectures, as well as appearing in the 'Uncaged Monkeys' tour.

[@Keshet59]

The talk starts at 2:24.

[@stephanwilliams8082]

Fantastic work from Adam. THANK YOU.

[@jonmo111]

brilliant

[@1SpudderR]

Hmm? To The lecturer or if preferred Speaker Adam Rutherford......What did you mean when you said “You went to public school?” General Public Education (Grammar, Technical, Comprehensives, etc.) Privately Paid Public, Paid Private one on one tuition, Personal extra private tuition, Religious, Secular, Multi Cultural....etc! ?

[@carlosgaspar8447]

charles darwin.."species are mutable" . doubt he would have even said that.

[@gazmasonik2411]

Agree with the zeppelin comment but....neodarwinist pseudo science. Eh?.synthetic.chemistry? James tour would demolish all said. The chemistry in origin of life? Irreducible complexity.mouse trap? Made in 5 parts! now, improve it.. by, breaking "one" part? No ...see. none of it works, but.. engaging manner amusing too..

[@alialialamili7727]

Adam, you are modifing and not creating as you say.!!?? You are cheating on people like you only