David Quammen: Viruses, Cancer, Conservation & CRISPR
Manage episode 411757464 series 3517081
In this episode, I sit down with renowned science writer David Quammen. We discuss the age of synthetic biology, tempered by ethical and practical considerations, and what it may mean for viruses, cancer & species conservation.
David’s insightful, measured outlook is grounded in five decades of science writing, across dozens of books and hundreds of feature magazine stories.
Show Notes:
00:18 Introduction.
02:00 Contagious Cancer and Evolution
02:32 Virus Hunters & Zoonotic Spillover.
08:05 Bats: The Reservoir Hosts
12:30 Ethics & Engineering Viruses.
19:54 Viruses as Evolutionary Feature, not Bug.
25:29 Engineering Immunology
36:53 COVID-19 Origins and Vaccine Development
46:46 Individual Liberty vs Public Health
54:20 EV batteries & Congo Mining
57:12 Elephants Don’t Get Cancer
59:24 De-Extinction and Genetic Preservation
01:01:19 Conservation and Genetic Engineering
01:19:44 David’s Career
11 episode