The ethics of growing human embryos in the lab

FromScience Weekly

View podcast show

Currently unavailable

The ethics of growing human embryos in the lab

FromScience Weekly

ratings:

Length:

36 minutes

Released:

May 27, 2016

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

Should the current 14 day limit for growing human embryos in the lab be extended in light of recent breakthroughs?

Released:

May 27, 2016

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Science Weekly podcast will now explore some of the crucial scientific questions about Covid-19. Led by its usual hosts Ian Sample, Hannah Devlin and Nicola Davis, as well as the Guardian's health editor Sarah Boseley, we’ll be taking questions – some sent by you – to experts on the frontline of the global outbreak. Send us your questions here: theguardian.com/covid19questions

Skip carousel

Testosterone in women’s athletics: Genetic advantages in sport tend to be celebrated, but that isn’t always the case when it comes to women’s athletics. At the start of July, two female runners from Namibia, Christine Mboma and Beatrice Masilingi, were told they couldn’t compete in the 400m race in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics unless they reduced their naturally high testosterone hormone levels. Shivani Dave speaks to Katrina Karkazis, a professor of sexuality, women’s, and gender studies, specialising in ‘sex testing’ and sport regulations, about the rules that ban female athletes with naturally high testosterone by Science Weekly
16 min listen
Could machines sucking carbon out of the air help fight the climate crisis?: To keep temperature rises to below 2C, we’ll need to pull CO 2 back out of the atmosphere. Shivani Dave explores projects around the world trying to do just that by Science Weekly
13 min listen
Sporting super spikes: how do they work?: In the lead-up to the athletics competitions at the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020, Shivani Dave takes look at how advances in running shoe technology are resulting in records being smashed. Talking to Geoff Burns, a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Michigan who specialises in biomechanics, Shivani asks how so-called ‘super spikes’ work and if the mechanical advantage they provide is fair by Science Weekly
17 min listen
What are the risks of England unlocking on 19 July?: Nearly all coronavirus restrictions in England are set to be lifted from Monday 19 July. But what are the risks of unlocking when we could be in the middle of a third wave of infections? The Guardian’s science editor, Ian Sample, talks to Anand Jagatia about how cases, hospital admissions and deaths are modelled to increase in the coming weeks, as well as the risks from long Covid and new variants by Science Weekly
17 min listen
Why aren’t children being vaccinated in the UK?: Shivani Dave speaks to Natalie Grover about the pros and cons of the children in the UK being offered Covid-19 vaccines by Science Weekly
13 min listen
The world finally has a malaria vaccine. Why has it taken so long?: Anand Jagatia speaks to Dr Latif Ndeketa and Prof Chris Drakeley about how the new RTS,S vaccine works and why it’s been so difficult to produce by Science Weekly
13 min listen
Can we really solve the climate crisis by planting trees? (part one): Patrick Greenfield and Phoebe Weston lead you through the science and controversy behind the idea that planting trees can solve the climate crisis by Science Weekly
17 min listen
Jaws made us scared of sharks but is a lack of sharks scarier?: Anand Jagatia speaks to Phoebe Weston about the recent update to the IUCN ‘red list’, which warns that over a third of all shark and ray species now face extinction by Science Weekly
13 min listen
Why are extreme weather events on the rise? (part one): The Guardian’s global environment editor, Jonathan Watts, speaks to Shivani Dave about extreme weather events – including the extreme heat recently recorded in the US and Canada. In the first of two parts, we hear how extreme heat comes about and why extreme weather events such as floods and monsoons look set to become more likely and even more extreme by Science Weekly
14 min listen
CoolSculpting, Botox and fillers are on the rise – but are they safe?: After supermodel Linda Evangelista has said she is ‘permanently deformed’ from having a cosmetic procedure called CoolSculpting, we take a look at the safety of non-surgical aesthetic treatments by Science Weekly
20 min listen
The billionaire space race: Last month, billionaire after billionaire hopped into spacecraft to reach the final frontier. Shivani Dave speaks to Robert Massey, the deputy executive director at the Royal Astronomical Society, to understand what, if any, positives might come from what has been called ‘the billionaire space race’, or if the money and resources spent on space exploration should be redistributed to focus on the challenges being faced on Earth by Science Weekly
15 min listen
How does the human body cope with extreme heat? (part two): We learned in our previous episode about the very real consequences that extreme heat has on human health and wellbeing, but there is little research into what actually happens to our bodies when exposed to extreme heat apart from in the world of sports science. In the second part of our discussion, as fears mount that the Tokyo Olympics will be the hottest on record and the world gears up for Cop26, Shivani Dave speaks to Mike Tipton, a professor of human and applied physiology by Science Weekly
16 min listen
Cop26: solutions from the frontline: Today, Science Weekly host Madeleine Finlay and Guardian reporter Nina Lakhani attend the People’s Summit which brings together movements from across the world to build solutions for climate change by Science Weekly
15 min listen
What should we be feeding our cats?: In mid-June this year, some brands of cat food were recalled as a precaution after a sudden increase in cases of feline pancytopenia, a rare blood disease that can be fatal. Shivani Dave speaks to Daniella Dos Santos, a practicing small animal and exotic pet vet and the senior vice-president of the British Veterinary Association, to understand what the food recall means for cat owners, and to find out how best to feed our feline friends by Science Weekly
13 min listen
Why swearing is more complicated than you think: Shivani Dave speaks to psychologist Timothy Jay to find out why people swear and whether or not there are any benefits to using swear words by Science Weekly
13 min listen
Cop26: it’s finally here: The Science Weekly podcast is in Glasgow where we will be bringing listeners daily episodes from Cop26. Each morning you will hear from one of the Guardian’s award-winning environment team. Today, environment correspondent Fiona Harvey explains why this climate summit is so critical by Science Weekly
13 min listen
Are hair relaxers causing breast cancer in black women?: Research from the Black Women’s Health Study has found that long-term and frequent users of hair relaxers had roughly a 30% increased risk of breast cancer compared with more infrequent users. Shivani Dave speaks to Dr Kimberly Bertrand, co-investigator of the study and assistant professor of medicine at Boston University, about the research and to journalist Tayo Bero about the effects these findings could have on the black community by Science Weekly
15 min listen
Flu season: are we in for a bumpier ride this year?: With warnings that we could be facing a more serious flu season this year, Science Weekly explores the challenges of tackling influenza during a pandemic by Science Weekly
18 min listen
From the archive: Are alternative meats the key to a healthier life and planet?: From 2019: how do protein substitutes compare with the real deal? Graihagh Jackson investigates by Science Weekly
30 min listen
From the archive: the secret, sonic lives of narwhals: From 2020: Nicola Davis speaks to Evgeny Podolskiy about capturing the sonic world of narwhals by Science Weekly
17 min listen
From the archive: Are national parks failing nature? (part 1): The climate crisis is ‘unequivocally’ caused by human activities, according to a report from the IPCC. One attempt to conserve the environment, being pushed by Boris Johnson, is to protect 30% of UK land in a boost for biodiversity. A Guardian exclusive found that an area twice the size of Greater London is devoted to grouse shooting in UK national parks, which threatens efforts to tackle the climate crisis. Patrick Greenfield and Phoebe Weston investigate whether national parks benefit the environment and biodiversity, or if there might be a better way of doing things by Science Weekly
22 min listen
From the archive: are national parks failing nature? (part 2): The climate crisis is ‘unequivocally’ caused by human activities, according to a recent report from the IPCC. Many attempts are being made to conserve the environment, with one being to protect national parks. Patrick Greenfield and Phoebe Weston explore the impact that conservation and national parks can have on Indigenous communities and the biodiversity surrounding them. If you haven’t already, go back and listen to Tuesday’s episode on the history of national parks and some of the challenges they face by Science Weekly
19 min listen
Who are Insulate Britain and what do they want?: Eco-activist group Insulate Britain’s tactics may not be popular, but experts agree that meeting their demands would bring widespread benefits – from carbon emissions to jobs. So why aren’t we taking insulation more seriously? by Science Weekly
12 min listen
Covid-19: how effective are face masks, really?: We don’t have to wear face coverings, but should we be masking-up anyway? A year and a half into the pandemic, Madeleine Finlay asks what we now know about how masks protect us and when it’s worth putting one on by Science Weekly
13 min listen
Can we really solve the climate crisis by planting trees? (part two): Getting trees into the ground isn’t simple. Reforestation often involves trade-offs and challenges. Phoebe Weston checks in on two projects where people are planting trees, and one where it’s not humans doing the planting at all by Science Weekly
16 min listen
Covid-19: will there soon be a pill that stops us getting sick?: Madeleine Finlay talks to Guardian science correspondent Hannah Devlin about a pill that early reports from clinical trials suggest halves hospitalisations and deaths by Science Weekly
11 min listen
Cop26 – the world leaders arrive: The Science Weekly podcast is in Glasgow where we will be bringing listeners daily episodes from Cop26. Each morning you will hear from one of the Guardian’s award-winning environment team. Today, host Madeleine Finlay hears why the Bahamas are under imminent threat from the climate crisis and what Guardian environment reporter Fiona Harvey makes of India’s commitment to be net zero – by 2070. by Science Weekly
12 min listen
Egg-freezing just got more attractive – but is it worth it?: Egg-freezing – it’s expensive, invasive and often unsuccessful. But, with a new limit of 55-years when freezing for social reasons, could it be the chance some need to preserve their fertility? by Science Weekly
14 min listen
Fleeing a war zone is traumatic – so is what happens next: Many asylum seekers and refugees have had to flee their homes in distressing circumstances. A lucky few make it to a safe country – but what happens next? by Science Weekly
14 min listen
Are third vaccines and vaccine boosters the same thing?: Shivani Dave speaks to professor of immunology and infectious disease at the University of Edinburgh,Eleanor Riley, and Guardian science correspondent, Nicola Davis, about the distinctions between booster jabs and third jabs by Science Weekly
10 min listen

More Episodes from Science Weekly

Skip carousel

Soundscape ecology: a window into a disappearing world: Guardian biodiversity reporter Phoebe Weston tells Madeleine Finlay about her visit to Monks Wood in Cambridgeshire, where ecologist Richard Broughton has witnessed the decline of the marsh tit population over 22 years, and has heard the impact on the wood’s soundscape by Science Weekly
16 min listen
The senior Swiss women who went to court over climate change, and won: The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Switzerland’s weak climate policy had violated the rights of a group of older Swiss women to family life. Ian Sample and Ajit Niranjan discuss why the women brought the case and what the ruling could mean for climate policy by Science Weekly
16 min listen
Remembering physicist Peter Higgs: The Nobel prize-winning British physicist Peter Higgs has died aged 94. Higgs theorised the existence of the Higgs boson particle, part of an attempt to explain why the building blocks of the universe have mass, five decades before its existence was confirmed in 2012. Ian Sample and Madeleine Finlay look back on the life and legacy of a giant of science. by Science Weekly
17 min listen
Horny tortoises and solar mysteries: what scientists can learn from a total eclipse: For scientists a total solar eclipse can be a fleeting chance to understand something deeper about their field of research. Madeleine Finlay meets professors Huw Morgan and Adam Hartstone-Rose to find out what they hoped to learn from 8 April’s four minutes of darkness by Science Weekly
17 min listen
The science of ‘weird shit’: why we believe in fate, ghosts and conspiracy theories: Psychologist Chris French has spent decades studying paranormal claims and mysterious experiences, from seemingly-impossible coincidences to paintings that purportedly predict the future. Ian Sample sits down with French to explore why so many of us end up believing in, what he terms, ‘weird shit’, and what we can learn from understanding why we’re drawn to mysterious and mystic phenomena by Science Weekly
19 min listen
Hypermobility: a blessing or a curse?: Being more flexible than the average person can have its advantages, from being great at games such as Limbo to feeling smug in yoga class. But researchers are coming to understand that being hypermobile can also be linked to pain in later life, anxiety, and even long Covid. Madeleine Finlay hears from the science correspondent Linda Geddes about her experience of hypermobility, and finds out what might be behind its link to mental and physical health by Science Weekly
15 min listen
The virus that infects almost everyone, and its link to cancer and MS: On 28 March it’s the 60th anniversary of the discovery of Epstein-Barr virus, the most common viral infection in humans. The virus was first discovered in association with a rare type of cancer located in Africa, but is now understood to be implicated in 1% of cancers, as well as the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis. Ian Sample meets Lawrence Young, professor of molecular oncology at Warwick Medical School, to hear the story of this virus, and how it might help us prevent and treat cancer and other illnesses. by Science Weekly
16 min listen
What could a severe solar storm do to Earth, and are we prepared?: The sun is currently ramping up to hit the peak of its 11-year activity cycle. In the past few days, powerful solar eruptions have sent a stream of particles towards Earth which are set to produce spectacular auroras in both hemispheres. But these kinds of geomagnetic storms can also have less appealing consequences. Madeleine Finlay speaks to Dr Lisa Upton, a solar scientist at the Southwest Research Institute, about how the mysterious inner workings of the sun create space weather, how solar events can significantly disrupt Earth’s infrastructure, and whether we are prepared for the worst-case scenario by Science Weekly
15 min listen
Havana syndrome: will we ever understand what happened?: In late 2016, US officials in Cuba’s capital began experiencing a mysterious and often debilitating set of symptoms that came to be known as Havana syndrome. Ian Sample speaks to the Guardian’s Julian Borger and consultant neurologist Prof Jon Stone about what could be behind the condition by Science Weekly
16 min listen
Should forests have rights?: A growing movement of ecologists, lawyers and artists is arguing that nature should have legal rights. By recognising the rights of ecosystems and other species, advocates hope that they can gain better protection. Madeleine Finlay speaks to the Guardian’s global environment editor, Jonathan Watts, about where this movement has come from and why the UK government has dismissed the concept, and hears from Cesar Rodriguez-Garavito of NYU School of Law about how he is finding creative ways to give rights to nature by Science Weekly
17 min listen
A waterworld with a boiling ocean and the end of dark matter? The week in science: Ian Sample and science correspondent Hannah Devlin discuss some of the science stories that have made headlines this week, from a new theory challenging the existence of dark matter to an alarming study about the possible impact of microplastics on our health and a glimpse of a ‘waterworld with a boiling ocean’ deep in space by Science Weekly
19 min listen
Why do we lose our hair as we age, and what can we do about it? – podcast: Madeleine Finlay speaks to one man about how it affected him and to hair specialist Dr Sharon Wong about what is going on when our hair thins and what treatments are available to help by Science Weekly
18 min listen
What’s behind the rapid rise of cancer in the under-50s?: Ian Sample speaks to health editor Andrew Gregory about the worrying global rise in cancers in under-50s, and hears from Yin Cao, an associate professor in surgery and medicine at Washington University in St Louis, who is part of a team conducting a huge study into why young people are developing bowel cancer at record rates by Science Weekly
14 min listen
Classic older child? What the science says about birth order and personality | Podcast: Madeleine Finlay meets Dr Julia Rohrer, a personality psychologist at the University of Leipzig, to unpick the science behind our intuition about birth order by Science Weekly
17 min listen
The Guardian’s new podcast series about AI: Black Box – prologue: The prologue to our new series about Artificial Intelligence, Black Box by Science Weekly
15 min listen
The debilitating impact of tinnitus, and how a new app could help: It’s thought that about 15% of us are affected by tinnitus, and despite its potentially debilitating impact on mental health and quality of life, there isn’t any cure for the condition. Madeleine Finlay speaks to John, who has used CBT techniques to learn to live well with his tinnitus, and Dr Lucy Handscomb, a tinnitus researcher who is involved in trialling a new app that could hold promise for sufferers. by Science Weekly
19 min listen
How green are electric cars?: Electric cars might seem like a no-brainer on a warming planet, but there are plenty of people who remain sceptical about everything from their battery life to their carbon impact and the environmental and human rights costs of their parts. Madeleine Finlay consults Auke Hoekstra, known as the internet’s ‘EV debunker in chief’, to unpick the myths, realities and grey areas surrounding electric cars by Science Weekly
16 min listen
Mistakes, fakes, and a giant rat penis: why are so many science papers being retracted?: A record 10,000 research papers were retracted in 2023. To find out what’s driving this trend, Ian Sample speaks to Ivan Oransky, whose organisation Retraction Watch has been monitoring the growing numbers of retractions for more than a decade, and hears from blogger Sholto David, who recently made headlines when he spotted mistakes in research from a leading US cancer institute. by Science Weekly
19 min listen
Nitazenes and xylazine: what’s behind the rise of dangerous synthetic drugs?: Social affairs correspondent Robert Booth tells Madeleine Finlay why a class of synthetic opioids called nitazenes, first developed in the 1950s, is leading to a worrying number of fatal overdoses in the UK. And she hears from toxicology and addiction specialist Dr Joseph D’Orazio about a tranquilliser called xylazine that has been showing up in alarming volumes in the US illegal drug supply and is now starting to appear in toxicology reports in the UK by Science Weekly
17 min listen
What apes can tell us about the origins of teasing: Ian Sample talks to prof Erica Cartmill about her work on apes and teasing and asks, given how annoying teasing is, why do apes, and humans, do it? by Science Weekly
15 min listen
Retinol, acids and serums for kids? A dermatologist’s guide to age appropriate skincare: Dermatologists warn children as young as eight years old are using potentially damaging anti-ageing skin care products. Madeleine Finlay discusses this trend, and alternative skincare, with Dr Emma Wedgeworth by Science Weekly
15 min listen
Why are we still waiting for a male contraceptive pill?: Ian Sample speaks to bioethicist Prof Lisa Campo-Engelstein of the University of Texas and Prof Chris Barratt from the University of Dundee to find out why male contraceptives have been so difficult to develop, and what kind of options are in the pipeline by Science Weekly
16 min listen
What happens now bird flu has reached the Antarctic?: The Guardian’s biodiversity reporter, Phoebe Weston, tells Ian Sample why the spread of bird flu through the Antarctic’s penguin colonies would be so catastrophic by Science Weekly
14 min listen
A fasting prime minister and a mind-reading billionaire: the week in science: Ian Sample and science correspondent Hannah Devlin discuss the big science stories of the week – from news that Elon Musk’s Neuralink has implanted its first chip into a human, to research suggesting Alzheimer’s can pass between humans in rare medical accidents, and the revelation that Rishi Sunak begins each week with a 36-hour fast by Science Weekly
17 min listen
Secrets of the microbiome: the skin: Ian Sample meets professor in cutaneous biology Julie Thornton who tells him how it helps with everything from wound healing to immunity by Science Weekly
16 min listen
Secrets of the microbiome: the vagina: Madeleine Finlay meets Ina Schuppe Koistinen, associate professor at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, and author of the book Vulva: Facts, Myths and Life-Changing Insights. Ina explains what makes the vaginal microbiome special, why it could hold the key to understanding pregnancy complications, and how we can better care for and protect it by Science Weekly
16 min listen
Secrets of the microbiome: the gut: Ian Sample speaks to colorectal surgeon and researcher, James Kinross, about the miraculous world of our gut microbiome, and what we can all do to look after it by Science Weekly
21 min listen
How to stop doomscrolling and reclaim your brain: The author Catherine Price tells Madeleine Finlay how her own excessive phone use inspired her to investigate the science behind our relationships with our devices, and what we know about how to break the cycle. And Prof Barbara Sahakian of Cambridge University explains why many of us are drawn to looking at bad news on our phones, and what it’s doing to us by Science Weekly
17 min listen
Is guilt-free flying on the horizon?: In November, a plane powered by 100% ‘sustainable’ jet fuel took off from London to New York. It was hailed by some as a milestone in reducing the carbon footprint of air travel, which accounts for about 2.5% of global CO2 emissions. Could this be the start of a greener way to fly? Madeleine Finlay speaks to Guy Gratton, associate professor of aviation and the environment at Cranfield University, to find out if the future of aviation can ever truly be guilt-free. by Science Weekly
17 min listen
Our science predictions for 2024: Ian Sample and science correspondent Hannah Devlin discuss the big stories likely to hit the headlines and share their predictions for 2024 by Science Weekly
17 min listen

Discover this podcast and so much more

The ethics of growing human embryos in the lab

The ethics of growing human embryos in the lab

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from Science Weekly