Ratio Forum 2019 Fall - Jonathan Pettitt: May Contain Neanderthal
Channel: Ratio BG
Date: 2020-03-21

The talk was presented during the Ratio Popular Science Forum - learn more at https://ratio.bg

Your DNA is not your destiny, but it is your ancestry, or at least it’s a record of it. Genetics has given us extraordinary insights into our collective human past, showing the patterns of migrations and unions that have shaped our individual genetic inheritances. Investigations into human evolutionary genetics have revealed some deeply non-intuitive findings, which have implications for both the present and future оf human biology and medicine.

Dr Jonathan Pettitt (University of Aberdeen) will explore our current understanding of human genetics and address such urgent questions as, “What does drinking milk have to do with white supremacy?”, “Why is the human genome like a fashion magazine?”, and “Why does my earwax smell?”

Jonathan Pettitt is a Reader in Genetics at the University of Aberdeen, where he studies the genetics of nematodes, a globally important group of worms, many of which are medically and agriculturally significant parasites. He also lectures broadly in the field of genetics, with a special focus on human population genetics. Jonathan is strongly committed to public engagement with genetics, having participated in a variety of national events. He performs stand-up comedy based on his research, and, as part of the Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas, presents a show about human genetics at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He was the genetics consultant for Helen Keen’s popular science book, The Science of Game of Thrones.

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Нашата ДНК може и да не предначертава съдбата ни, но определено разкрива много за произхода ни.

Генетиката ни дава близък поглед над колективното ни минало като човечество. Тя ни разкрива особеностите на миграцията и сътрудничеството, които са оформили индивидуалните ни наследствени характеристики. Изследванията в областта на човешката еволюционна генетика показват някои изненадващи факти. Те влияят както на настоящето ни, така и на бъдещето на човешката биология и медицина.

Д-р Джонатан Петит от Университета в Абърдийн ще ни запознае със съвременните разбирания за човешката генетика и ще отговори на важни въпроси като “Как консумацията на мляко е обвързана с надмощието на белите”, “По какво човешкият геном наподобява модно списание” и “Защо ушната ми кал мирише?”