The Story of You: ENCODE and the human genome

Ever since a monk called Mendel started breeding pea plants we've been learning about our genomes. In 1953, Watson, Crick and Franklin described the structure of the molecule that makes up our genomes: the DNA double helix. Then, in 2001, scientists wrote down the entire 3-billion letter code contained in the average human genome. Now they're trying to interpret that code; to work out how it's used to make different types of cells and different people. The ENCODE project, as it's called, is the latest chapter in the story of you.

To read the ENCODE research papers and more, visit http://www.nature.com/ENCODE

• Category

  Science & Technology

[walmartio]

Top marks for also including Rosalind Franklin. Not many people do.

[Christopher Duncan]

Every time I am in one of these discussions with of these sorts of people, conversation inevitably raises the fact that we can only theorise as to how we came to be. 'That's why they're called theories!' I am passionately told, to which my reply always has been; 'Gravity is also a theory. Are you going to prove that wrong, just float the fuck away?'

To my surprise, I have yet to find someone who has. They've tried, but it usually ends with them hurting themselves.

Thumbs up for Mr. Minchin xD

[aglobalnomad]

Thank you for making crack up. The delivery was perfect:

"Mendel is known as the father of genetics, which, since monks aren't allowed to father much of anything, is both naughty and excellent."

[Oden Knight]

Science! I love it because it works!

[enginekid88]

Try typing something that has intelligence in it. You might like the change.

[laladieladada]

instead of making conclusions whitout evidence.

maybe you want to read up a bit about evolution and natural selection.

it will make you look less stupid next time.

here is a short overview of what is out there:

1-big bang - starts of the universe

2-cosmological timeline - how other things then pure energy came to existence and transformed the universe to how we know it.

3-abiogenesis - start of life

4-evolution - how already existing life transformed in other lifeforms.

[Carlos Fernando Castañeda Olano]

Great video. Thank you.

[jeff douglas]

Illumani......hmmmm

[pixietrix68]

Love this short movie- so much better than what they showed at primary school when I was younger. I especially like the the emphasis on each genetic mix making you, you, and you. Also doesn't hurt that I think Tim Minchin is amazing!!

[ellafay2012]

The way Tim says project :D

[enginekid88]

No you can't.  But imagination is a powerful thing, eh my little chum?