The Gene Explained | What the Gene Is That?
See how scientists are expanding the DNA alphabet & what to look for in the search for E.T
From
The Gene Explained | What the Gene Is That?
Special | 3m 6sVideo has Closed Captions
See how scientists are expanding the DNA alphabet & what to look for in the search for E.T
DNA spells the instructions for every living thing we know about with just four letters. In this episode, we'll see how scientists are expanding the DNA alphabet that could show us what to look for in the search for E.T.
From
Funding for KEN BURNS PRESENTS THE GENE: AN INTIMATE HISTORY has been provided by Genentech, 23andMe, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Gray Foundation, American Society of...
The Gene Explained | What the Gene Is That?
Special | 3m 6sVideo has Closed Captions
DNA spells the instructions for every living thing we know about with just four letters. In this episode, we'll see how scientists are expanding the DNA alphabet that could show us what to look for in the search for E.T.
From
How to Watch The Gene
The Gene is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
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The Gene Explained
What the heck is a gene, anyway? This animated series won’t get you a PhD, but it does clear up a few mysteries about how genes work and what they might look like in the future. (Microscope not required.)More from This Collection
The Gene Explained | The Gene That Transformed
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What terrifying things go on inside of chrysalis, and what dark role do genes play? (3m 9s)
The Gene Explained | Is That a Banana in Your Genes?
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Humans are indeed genetically related to bananas (as well as slugs), but how exactly? (3m 21s)
The Gene Explained | Invasion of the Gene Snatchers
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How do viruses work? Sort of like an alien invasion that replaces our cell’s genetic code. (3m 1s)
The Gene Explained | Gene Damage
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What goes on in our DNA to make us grow grey hair, wrinkles and less than healthy DNA? (3m 25s)
The Gene Explained | A Big Wooly Gene
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In this episode, we delve into the difficulties of resurrecting extinct animals. (3m)
The Gene Explained | Super Gene
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See what happens if DNA code gets deleted, put in the wrong place, or switched. (2m 58s)
The Gene Explained | Good Genes Gone Bad
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What causes cancer and ways to calm down those "good genes that have gone bad." (2m 58s)
The Gene Explained | Gene Whiz! It's a Boy!
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If you're curious about the origin of boys, look no further than the Y chromosome. (2m 49s)
The Gene Explained | Gene Strike!
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Take a peek into the body's war room during the heat of battle with cancer. (2m 24s)
The Gene Explained | Gene Filled Donuts
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How DNA's mysterious instructions buried in a gene become the actual nose on a face. (2m 14s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship(spooky music) - [Man in White] (gasps) A life form, sir!
- [Man in Blue] Are you getting a reading?
- [Man in White] No, I didn't get a reading at all.
I just see a life form.
Look!
- Hey, y'all, welcome to the planet!
- [Man in Blue] Why aren't you showing up on our instrument?
- Oh, that's because you're looking for Earth stuff, and this ain't Earth, y'all.
- [Man in Blue] Ah.
- Look here.
Every living thing on Earth is built using instructions called DNA, and every DNA instruction uses the exact same code system, an alphabet of just four little ol' nucleobases.
(dog whimpers) But when these four bases are arranged differently, we get different instructions.
How about that?
- [Man in Blue] Hm.
- Instructions that cells follow to make proteins, and it's proteins that make living things what they are.
(dog barks) And that's how it works on Earth.
- [Man in Blue] Doesn't DNA work the same way here?
- (laughs) No, there's no intergalactic rule that says DNA works the same everywhere.
- Oh.
- Why, right now on your Earth, scientists are stretching those rules of life with synthetic DNA.
- [Man in White] Stretching the rules of life?
That's scary.
- No, baby, it ain't scary.
Look here.
Let's say the DNA code was music notes, and every song was based on those notes, and then let's say someone came along and made brand new sounds and just slapped then into the song.
Now that'd break a song, make it noise instead of music, mm-hm.
(cacaphonous tones) But y'all's Earth scientists have figured out how to fit their newfangled sounds into existing songs without 'em breaking.
(jazzy horn music) That could mean a whole different kind of music, one that you might even need a whole new kind of ear to hear.
- [Man in Blue] That's weird.
- Yes, it is (laughs) and mighty powerful.
(dreamy music) Synthetic DNA could mean new medicines, new fuels, and maybe even new life forms, like you two handsome fellas.
- [Man in Blue] But you're the new life form.
- Oh, no, honey.
(chuckles) I've been around much longer than you humans.
- [Man in Blue] Is that how you know so much about our DNA?
- That, and it's just plain delicious.
(laughs) - [Man in Blue] Delicious?
(tentacled created laughs maniacally) (tentacled creature gobbles) (upbeat jazz music)
Funding for KEN BURNS PRESENTS THE GENE: AN INTIMATE HISTORY has been provided by Genentech, 23andMe, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Gray Foundation, American Society of...