Craig Venter - The Genius of Charles Darwin: The Uncut Interviews - Richard Dawkins

Richard Dawkins interviews Craig Venter for "The Genius of Charles Darwin", the Channel 4 UK TV program which won British Broadcasting Awards' "Best Documentary Series" of 2008. Craig Venter founded The Institute for Genomic Research and has been credited with being instrumental in mapping the human genome. His team published the first complete genome of an individual human - Venter's own DNA sequence.
Buy the full 3-DVD set of uncut interviews, over 18 hours, in the RichardDawkins.net store: richarddawkins.net/store/index...
This footage was shot with the intention of editing for a television program. What you see here is the full extended interview, which includes a lot of rough camera transitions that were edited out of the final program (along with a lot of content).

[@exponent8562]

Having rewatched and enjoyed this Genius of Darwin series over the years, I should at least express my utmost gratitude for Dawkins and all the scientists who think and work towards a better future for humanity.

[@StarReel]

I've watched this video 5 times, just can't get enough of these two geniuses.

[@robschanaynay3500]

2 smart folks... 1 game changer, 1 book writer.

[@StarReel]

***** Correct, Dawkins is a game-changer in the field of Darwinism and has written 4 game-changing books.

[@robschanaynay3500]

***** No its not scientific game changing. "selfish gene" is not a technical paper and serves the purpose of supporting current speculations of which there are others. I support what he is doing in that he makes it accessible to the common person but he is not changing the game. Our understanding of the mechanisms of evolution is very poor and hard science is what illuminates it.

[@StarReel]

Rob Scha Nay Nay Who said only scientific papers can be game-changing? Dawkins is a communicator, not a leading scientist/researcher. No one claimed otherwise. As a communicator/writer he is a game-changer.

[@robschanaynay3500]

StarReel Yes. In "game changing" I implied scientific.

[@markyounger1240]

Two of the most important scientists alive today. What a treat.

[@TeabagTore]

This was extremely informing! Thank you, Richard Dawkins for showing me this! I bow to Craig Venter!

[@adrianridgway4333]

"We can sequence your genome in three weeks." 11 years later and I bet soon you will be able to do it in 30 seconds on an app. One thing for sure there is no way I'm letting my genome become the property of some company. It's valuable!

[@MrMahlerMahler]

Craig Venter is without a doubt a great pioneer in this area. But so also is the great Eric Lander of the Humane Genome Project, who is now Director of MIT/Harvard's Broad Institute. Have you considered interviewing him? He's very articulate and a passionate educator.

[@zxys001]

Thanks for posting this,.. my blood pressure/rate and breathing always calms while watching/listening/understanding what others are doing to do better.

[@RustyCyler]

Thanks for the upload Mr. Dawkins. Im going to get the popcorn now...

[@SoftWarewolf]

I am very happy about these interviews going out public for free, they are incredibly interesting, life is indeed fascinating.

[@dennist3hmenace]

After completing my uni course on genetics I can appreciate this video more than ever!

[@mistax2k]

The security guard is hilarious "you guys gotta go" hahaha

[@grayfoxv]

Brilliant. Will definitely be buying the Genius of Charles Darwin interviews DVD. The series itself was fantastic, and these interviews give you an even further insight into the work that Science is doing for human kind. Thanks again!!

[@Xinfinitude]

This is just awesome. Two awesome people, discussing awesome things, in an awesome place.

[@OnlyTheGreatMany]

Very beautiful, a crowning achievement of modern science. Venter is a very interesting and intelligent man, and that facility is incredible! I would love to work there one day. Just one problem, is the camera-man drunk?

[@wrongwayup.]

Thanks for another long interview. I'm really enjoying them. Much better than the usual short videos you usually find on youtube. Keep it up people!

[@grayxy]

Simply amazing on so many levels. Great documentary. Just for a moment, imagine all the awesome resources wasted in wars and destruction throughout the world, invested in something like this. For the sake of humanity.

[@ixiwildflowerixi]

As a CS with a soft spot for biology this was awesome to watch. Thanks a lot for releasing the interview.

[@katherandefy]

This was well over a decade ago. These people are so amazing.

[@writersblock26]

Thank you for posting this, richarddawkinsdotnet.

[@charleslaine]

I would like an update as to how far this project has progressed. this video is now twelve years old.

[@IsaacAsimov1992]

I can't think of a more exciting project that's ever been undertaken. The possible benefits for our planet (humans, all other living creatures, and the environment) are astonishing.

[@wullebulle123]

thanks to both of you guys, this was great

[@wrekk]

Too bad I cannot rate this any higher than the measly 5 STARS!!! What stunning visuals!!! I am very fortunate to have the ability, let alone the willingness and free mind, to enjoyably understand material such as this! Great work RD!!

[@Airsoftaddict78]

You are right ... I didn't take into account that the footage was raw/uncut. removed original comment ... still enjoyed it ... even with the raw footage

[@ofosusam]

best video I watched in a long time. Tis is what we need. Two giants of the 21st century educating us on new technologies and advances in evolutionary Biology. More knowledge and sense in this 1 hour vid than all of cable news combined in the last 10 years. we'll leave that for the creationists and teabaggers. awesome vid.

[@AvanLotharion]

I never thought I'd live to see Dawkins and Venter together *-*

[@axelbjefs]

I love watching videos like these. So much interesting information that is just given to me from these wonderful people. I mean can you imagine the applications of a genome lexicon? That is essentially what they are laying the groundwork for at this facility! I'm amazed and awed!

[@johnromberg]

i was just watching this yesterday, and hear on the news today that they made a genome from scratch! what a wonderful age we live in!

[@tobitege]

Fascinating interview! Even for me as a non-scientist, the advances in technology and thus genetics/biology are astounding.

[@sundeutsch]

I just watch you. You are so logical, clear in your thoughts.

[@Crowbot28]

Watching these two is like watching kids in a candy shop! It is hard not to get excited with them. So much potential!

[@ilovelawnorder]

Fascinating to watch our evolution in real time almost.Hats off to the science based thinkers of the world.Takes all types....

[@jwonderfulsuccess]

Absolutely wonderful 🙏

[@devil2005iscool]

Just in awe of both of them.

[@personzorz]

Not at all. He is repeating the conclusion that all life on earth, including trees, come from a common ancestor many billions of years ago. The split between animals and plants was probably something like 3 billion years ago, but the same basal systems are in place and our genomes show the nested hierarchy suggestive of common ancestry and evolution by natural selection. We did not come from trees any more than we came from chimpanzees. We do share a common ancestry with them however.

[@markporemba4280]

Yes. Bacteria.

[@PibrochPonder]

It’s like playing a video game watching this. The camera work is shocking.

[@terribleTed-ln6cm]

Take note how much happier professor Dawkins is when he isn't debating idiots....

[@LucasHalastra]

Amazing.

[@patela19481]

Este vídeo foi feito há pelo menos 10 anos. Imaginem o que será hoje com essas máquinas!

[@robertkrieter9065]

Claro, nosso conhecimento tem aumentado muito. Increível!

[@Volound]

all those people are walking past richard dawkins and they dont even care. i would be begging him for his signature.

[@AdamBechtol]

Wow, incredibly cool!

[@trevortombe]

One word: Astounding!!!

[@johnmc2k]

iv referenced Venter in numerous occasions in exams. This is great

[@musicgeniusno1]

Fascinating. Five years to individual mapping of genes at a doctors.

[@Mjhavok]

Very cool tour of the JCVI.

[@Crowbot28]

This is like watching kids in a toy store! I love the passion science brings!

[@TomfromExeter]

The conversation was quite dull but the building was fascinating. Those endless white corridors are slightly hypnotic.

[@AutodidacticPhd]

Have you ever been in a room with 800+ boxes? Even though they keep the AC on continuously, each of those boxes still has at least one fan... and they don't bother with "whisper quiet" hardware when the machines are expected to be sequestered in a server room.

[@johnnyarsonctXhc]

Good form, my friend!

[@LtPinback]

Why on earth is the server farm so loud? Fans? I was under the impression cold air was generally blown from a central air-conditioner unit.

[@ZachRice]

I love these videos. Science needs more of this: free exposure on places like KZbin where the public can sit and take in 1st hand a brilliant discussion between people working at the most incredible places in the world. If more people knew how amazing these processes are and how we can reap real-life benefits from it, think of what good shape we'd be in. Education and discovery would no longer have budget problems.

[@TheKlamminator]

Craig Venter is amazing

[@ritalove7576]

That floor is so shiny and clean

[@SteveDurnin]

Fascinating.

[@WhattheHectogon]

I sure do hope Dawkins redoes his interview with at least Mr. Venter (but also Pinker and Dennett if possible, I adore them) there is so much more known now!

[@LesPaul2006]

Man, if you could have your genome done in the spot at the doctor's office, they would be able to foresee so man things about your health. That's just incredible.

[@TheReeelGuys]

I don't know why people are still concerned w/ religion. THIS SCIENCE is mind blowing. This is so revolutionary it is almost unbelievable. In the coming century, so many diseases are going to be cured with this technology it's not even funny. Something religion could only 'pray' for god to do. Thank god (lol) people like Craig Venter are here.

[@drstrangelove09]

Did anyone happen to catch what the manufacturer was for the servers?

[@lefteriseleftheriades7381]

The camera work is not good. Shakes, sometimes leaves no headroom, at some point puts a bin in frame. The discussion is very interresting

[@AtheistBrit]

Scientists do it way more often than most. It does contradict "human nature" but that's the beauty of science, you can unlearn human nature. I used to never admit I was wrong even when I knew I was, and it was in part due to studying science that I realised sometimes being wrong is a good thing!

[@alittleofeverything4190]

If any agenda in science exists, it would be to produce more food, make our lives easier, save lives, increase longevity, decrease pain, learn more about how nature works, etc.

[@Cellsplitter]

All that hardware makes me so giddy. I'm such a tech nerd ^_^;

[@Sondre7]

How about : because the rest has nothing to do with the opening. That being said. Your point is actually discussed in the middle of the interview, with Venter describing the strong opposition he met with his "Shotgun sequencing", and how they later adopted his method, despite their initial 'human' and emotional reaction.

[@pamuk7]

The gap between life and nonlife is so huge that it can only be filled with the presence of an intelligent designer. Like the fact that the gap between a piece of rock and a statue by Michelangelo can only be filled by intelligent act of sculpture - not by natural causes like rain, wind or earthquake.

[@pamuk7]

They are not starting from the building blocks that can be found in nature; but they are starting from the already built complex macromolecules that could never have been synthesized from those building blocks through natural processes. In others words, they are not trying to build a house from bricks; they are just trying to make a little change in the structure of an already existing house. An MSNBC report reads:

[@KevinLounsberry]

@bugsz1 could you be more specific about what "this" is?

[@miriamyerik]

another awesome video , so sad the only has a little over 96K!

[@EDUARDO12348]

+Miriam Gonzalez surprised somebody so cute :-) is watching this video. Have you read Dr. Venter's first book?

[@PGHolmes]

holy shit Venter is smiling. I feel bad for Venter as someone who believes in ID. Venter is an intellectual giant on the frontier of knowledge. He lives in times filled with humans of pure ignorance and disrespect for a man like this.

[@idothings100]

Wonderful conversation. What was the deal with the sound guy though, geez buddy, just hold the box and let the men talk.

[@mobcat40]

110% Amazing.

[@Anab10sis]

Awesome.

[@BrentNally]

If this video had 7 billion views, the world would be a better place! Post it on your FB walls. Share this information! Let's make the world a better place. The only problem we have on this planet is ignorance.

[@andrewridgway]

the morality of the doctrine of hell is not saved by the piffling semantic distinction between 'torment' and 'punishment'.

[@TheStig000]

His new book comes out later this book. I'll be getting it, it looks good to me.

[@DonaldLancon]

After seeing all of the amazing computer and robotic technology in this video -- all of which is based on the synthesis of many different "threads" of 19th and 20th century science, technology, and mathematics -- and which is propeling forward our 21st century biological sciences, I have to say, it's very disheartening to come to the comments section and see people discussing ideas from Bronze- and Iron-Age myth and superstituion....

[@retoblubber]

23:48 Current Cost per Genome www.genome.gov/images/content/cost_genome.jpg

[@daftrhetoric]

Craig Venter is my favorite person.

[@rossconi]

cameraman is having a wonderful time to himself. jesus christ, it's not a college project.

[@Mjhavok]

The results support the RDM model. "recombination-dependent mutation, which specifies that recombination occurring in nongrowing cells stimulates error-prone DNA synthesis"

[@pamuk7]

Even this easy job - when compared to the origin of life itself - requires a great deal of information and design. This project is based on the scientific information which modern science accumulated throughout the past centuries, plus the advanced level of technology that we

[@jamesharrel]

Not hard to imagine. It would be the exact opposite of sitting in my living room, reading and drinking a beer, when someone comes to my door with a pamphlet and tells me that I'm going to hell.

[@HitodamaKyrie]

It could be inside a building or warehouse. Only the outside rooms would have windows.

[@SuperFinGuy]

Let me rephrase it for you, it is observed that bacteria of the same generation (without reproducing) develop specific beneficial mutations only when they need to. Meaning they can evolve and adapt in one generation, i.e without successive natural selection and reproduction. Please look up directed directed mutagenesis. There are very interesting studies on the subject.

[@urd2urd]

two great scintests this era

[@j.whisper2379]

This is dated in 2009! What is going on in 2021???

[@vikramrao2002]

Great interview. I loved the way he said, evolution is a fact now!

[@denisasitis]

what did he get saved from?

[@otur1]

@~48:50 One amusing comment towards the end of this video was Richard referring to a quote from James Watson: "If we don't play God, who will?"

[@eswolf84]

@tnus03 I actually understand your point.. but this reminds me of a certain quote by Carl Sagan: "we make our world significant by the courage of our questions and the depth of our answers" In such a magnificent cosmos if we want to have any importance at all we have to embrace our destiny with courage and objectivity. The existence of the visionaries who have placed us where we are: In a world now full of technology, was never pointless. MATE.

[@jingvt]

@ForceOfWizardry a chromsome is something like a string of genes like 10110 which determines the characterics of a cell...when 10110 is mutated to 11100, 11100 determines a different charactericis of a cell...that is why Venter did. It is a mutation.

[@DefaultPosition]

Apparently the phenomena has been accounted for by the increase in mutations that occur when organisms experience stress. the mutation increase accounts for a greater likelihood of favourable mutations being produced.

[@mehdibaghbadran3182]

I did not do any searches in google and most of my information belongs to more than 45 years ago and I did not use computers, what I learned it’s from nature and personal experiences, and tv and etc...,

[@qorilla]

It's been 5-6 years now. Did the prediction around 20:00 come true?

[@Skywalker1369]

Today it's a few hundred dollars in a day

[@Holymolypatoly]

Awesome tour. The camera guys kept trying to get creative rofl.

[@pkboomer]

Well Hugh, what they said was that all these species' genomes are all made from the same kind of material - DNA. They are simply stating an observable ct.

[@DefaultPosition]

According to Wikipedia 'directed mutagenesis' is an hypothesis with some interesting evidence to support from a couple of experiments. An alternative explanation has been proposed. It looks like there are a lot of interesting papers out there about it. I'll take a look. Thanks for bringing to my attention.

[@PokeRapper5000]

I think science is one of the few things you can pour money into and expect some decent results. In all the other parts of society money will just disappear and nothing will improve.

[@DouwedeJong]

That pile of plates at 4:18 makes me very nervious.

[@CHAS1422]

@jillpc Dawkins is agreeable if you keep away from delusion or dogma. I find him very agreeable

[@EPUEPUEPUEPU]

Now to think if there are more advanced life forms in the universe who has this down packed from scratch. What would that mean?