Wednesday, February 26, 2020
09:00 -11:00, 120 min. -
Biology:
Skype; Mutation. -
GT was shown the four top means by which mutations occur in strands of DNA: deletion, insertion/duplication, inversion, and translocation. We then watched a National Geographic program: ‘Genetic Mutations - Hidden Secrets’. This film described how mutations occur, some familiar mutations (conjoined twins, albinism, other birth defects) and some that have been beneficial to humans (the ability to digest milk or cooked meat). The film used Darwin’s finches, and the tortoises of the Galapagos Islands, to describe how natural selection is dependent on naturally occurring mutations. It examined how, 700 years ago, some individuals had a naturally occurring mutated gene that made them immune to the black plague, and how decedents of these lucky few have a similar immunity to HIV. The program continued, covering how genetic modification began centuries ago, and has given us wonders such as the wide variety of roses and dogs. The film was very comprehensive about the manner by which science has used genetic modification to find treatments and cures for diseases that afflict humankind. After the film, GT and I had a lengthy conversation about the coronavirus.