Society and Behaviour

Find out how our understanding of genetics is changing how we view ourselves and each other. Here, read about Darwin’s theory of evolution, how modern humans evolved and how we track criminals from their DNA.

Society and Behaviour

videos My career in genomics: genetic counselling In this video, Sasha Henriques talks about her career as a genetic counsellor. This is one of a series of films providing a unique insight into different careers in the field of genomics.
activities Genome Generation Express Explore current and potential ethical issues in genetics and genomics with this discussion-based activity.
activities Recreate A Face Discover how DNA can provide clues to recreate the faces of people from the past.
activities Mindfulness Colouring This mindfulness activity helps you explore your creativity whilst creating a calm atmosphere.
videos My career in genomics: evolution In this film Roland Schwarz talks about his research using computers to model and understand evolution. This is one of a series of films providing a unique insight into different careers in the field of genomics.
videos Direct-to-consumer genetic testing This film explores direct-to-consumer genetic testing through the stories of people who have considered taking this type of genetic test.
stories Direct-to-consumer testing Have you ever wanted to know more about your genetic make-up? Direct-to-consumer testing is now making this possible through tests you can order online. But is there a more serious side to us having such easy access to all of the information in our genomes?
stories Personal genomics: the future of healthcare? Personal genomics is an area of genomics focusing specifically on the sequencing and analysis of one person’s genome, and then giving them their genomic information.
stories Are humans still evolving? For much of nature, natural selection and ‘survival of the fittest’ still play a dominant role; only the strongest can survive in the wild. As little as a few hundred years ago, the same was true for humans, but what about now?
stories Evolution of modern humans The origin of modern humans has probably been the most debated issue in evolutionary biology over the last few decades.
stories Evolution of the human brain The human brain, in all its staggering complexity, is the product of millions of years of evolution.
stories Giants in genomics: Eric Lander Eric Lander is the founding director of the Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard. He was one of the leaders of the Human Genome Project and his work has been key in developing tools to investigate disease.
facts What is evolution? In biology, evolution is the change in the characteristics of a species over several generations and relies on the process of natural selection.
stories Genetic counselling Genetic counsellors are health professionals who help people faced with the possibility of a genetic disease to make informed decisions about their futures.
activities Genome Generation Debate current and potential issues in genetics and genomics with this card-based discussion activity.
debates Is it ethical to have a national DNA database? The National DNA Database has proved to be a valuable tool in the fight against crime. However, many people are concerned about how it has evolved from a database containing genetic information on convicted criminals to one that has information from a much wider group of people.
facts What is the UK National DNA Database? The National DNA Database (NDNAD) holds the DNA profiles and samples from a select number of UK individuals.

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