The battle between nature and nurture | Irene Gallego Romero | TEDxNTU

People like easy answers: this or that, on or off, left or right. But for Irene, the wonder of biology has always been that it refuses to be so simple, and never is that truer than in the conflict between nature and nurture. There are no easy answers here - but there are amazing stories.
Irene Gallego Romero is an Assistant Professor at Nanyang Technological University (Singapore). She’s a human evolutionary biologist. Her research interests include understanding the role of gene regulatory changes in human evolution, human populations’ ability to adapt to extreme conditions, as well as the analysis of heart disease in humans and the great apes.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@maattthhhh]

"You are not the battleground which nature and nurture fight. You are a canvas of whom they collaborate." Cool.

[@fernidad135]

maattthhhh *upon which they collaborate

[@iangehrlich-orr1869]

That's why literally everything that you think or do can be predicted. When you make a choice it's really some neurons in your brain reacting in a specific way due to other Chemicals and molecules it came in contact with.

[@hunterofendermen367]

well said!

[@djprometheus923]

bruh she really kicked her ted talk off with a picture of jeans while talking about genes

[@kiroooooooous7492]

Nathan Young bruh momento right there

[@ZuperZuck]

Bars

[@adversarygamingcollective8024]

Could’ve used Gene Wilder or Gene Simmons

[@Seda1979]

Outstanding lecture. That's some real scientific knowledge there dumbed down for the "common folk". Meaning she truly knows her field of study, which in this case is genetics. Good job lady.

[@monamaeconsigna2029]

Mind blown! OMG that's why I really love watching TEDx Talks, there are so much things for me to learn. Thank you Ma'am!

[@justinfernandez2482]

I don't regret watching this for school. I learned so much from her.

[@auntijen3781]

I met my biological family 10 years ago, which included my full blooded lil sister. She grew up in Alaska, me in NY but we were identical in every non visual form from fashion, jokes, to fav candy bar & author. She kept blaming our mom for briefing me on all this, to mess w her a lil. It was really chilling

[@eduabadlperc]

Do you have also any differences?

[@playsavedthechild.2848]

interesting.

[@victorzaak]

just coincidences. you most likely have way more coincidences with someone in china that with your biological sister

[@Bonzi_Buddy]

@@victorzaak That's ridiculous considering the vastly different culture.

[@filmlooksbetter]

everyone is talking about being required to watch this for school.... O_O i watched this by choice to find some inspiration for an essay

[@reginafrancisco3134]

I'm watching this after reading a comment from a thriller in webtoon and like i wanna learn random psychology/genes facts lol

[@naddd7308]

I watch this because I am genuinely interested in this nurture vs nature topic 😂😂

[@livicharmxo-quitfornow5284]

Same, it’d actually my homework to write an essay of Nature vs Nurture (it’s quite hard)

[@mzbeauty88]

@@livicharmxo-quitfornow5284 facts

[@JennXeno]

Same

[@Arlesmon]

IMO it's understanding your nature and your genetics, so that one with nurture can use techniques that can be used to shape you into the person you'll become and using nurture as a way to develop your abilities or to overcome limitations. Sure, certain tasks will be harder, but not imposssible. So basically while it can give you advantages and disadvantages, your future is not set in stone.

[@Bonzi_Buddy]

" your future is not set in stone".... except for when you have a genetic disease.

[@kaylalee303]

who else is being forced to watch this for school :( me

[@OfficialGOTCHA33]

here i am, by choice, my young padawan

[@tabbybunnage]

AHAHAHHAH ME

[@sevatar2777]

Psychology

[@arimalajulievielaride]

Me😁

[@d3finition741]

Me lolololol

[@SkyKing101010]

Thank you for this clarification. I have always said that our nature is set but our "presentation" of it can be modified by nurture. I love your illustration with the glass of milk. I have no problem digesting milk or meat but I'm considering a vegan, or at least vegetarian diet, at least mostly. I'll probably always want to have a good greaseburger once in a while. Again, thank you. I thought it was great.

[@josearturcraquer9981]

Nice and clearifying development to an everyday topic. Congrats from Brazil :D

[@danielacastano3271]

Thank you Dr. for your speech! I like it!. I am interested for this kind of topics and for me was clear the difference between nature and nurture with your real examples 😉

[@vivianguo6006]

excuse me ... did she just make a pun? "if you weren't born with 6 fingers, you will never have them, I'm sorry to disappoint you. On the other hand..."

[@jacobhero1577]

I WASNT THE ONLY ONE

[@Ilovecats082]

oh hey v, watcha doin' here? 😂

[@LynnTarr]

Who else has to watch this as an assignment?

[@user-tf4ik7fv9d]

me

[@liamburgess]

She’s a fantastic educator!

[@solitaire3640]

I found this to be profound and educational! Thank you

[@ricellecancino3211]

I learned a lot from here. Thankyou❤

[@babaafghanfoods9677]

Very well presented. Thank you Doc.

[@johnjezorski4616]

I like how she threatens us with a glass of milk.

[@annamari7863]

Lovely lady. Knows her onions. The jeans pun was a lame dame crane :) Thanks for the talk!

[@Kamseherthepoet]

Much respect for Irene Romero. Every parent should take a child development course or two.

[@Bonzi_Buddy]

They need to bring back blood testing for compatible couples with the technology we have now. There are people out there that will have children who are doomed at birth because the lack of this testing.

[@charliejones6526]

Very informative. Thank you 👋

[@GrinFloydSmithTimothyknSovuai]

Love the speech

[@ampedcrypto808]

This is excellent!

[@anisaha3287]

amazing. so well said

[@hereads2135]

This is very interesting and helping.

[@pastolerocharleneg.7178]

Very informative. I have learned a lot

Love it! You rock it! Exactly what I've been saying in the past 6 years. I don't even like to say genes are determining anything on living beings! They're much more like influencing things around the path we choose, rather than determining everything. #autopoiesis #love Caminante, no hay camino. Se hace camino al andar y al caminar no vuelves a ver las sendas por donde tus huellas 👣 han pasado.

[@EbonyPope]

Not really. Concerning cognitive ability you can do whatever you want you'll not be able to increase your IQ to genius levels.

[@A6CSR]

Watched this due to a college assignment, stayed due to my curiosity of nature and nurture.

[@qweqwe9678]

one can really dance around a subject for 13 mins without saying anything meaningful, wonderful

[@thaison2566]

Maybe it's always nuture simply because of the word evolution and adaptation genes overtime have learned to "Adapt/evolve" in such a way that sometimes the body will be able to adjust to certain environments/exposures. The fact that . I used the word "Evoulution" only reason is factual is because of simple/complex science an actual evidence..... Due to the time interval from our own "evolution" we can not factually say that our body will never be change beyond the simple/complex science of modern day. Nature and Nuture are though one in the same when it comes to this specific topic (personal opinion) like we literally have no use for certain body part , so who's to say unless someone invents a time machine that those certain body parts will one day no long be only apart of our own Evolultion

[@leniecabatuan2035]

WOW!! thanks

[@xyrenedelcastillo9894]

Nature and nurture are the two main aspects that can aid in your development

[@JoeDoeOutdoors]

Hey awesome channel ☺ Keep it up!

[@gaetanovindigni8824]

La Forza del Destino? A collaboration between the potentials of Nature and Nurture!

[@AnsarAli-uq3yg]

I saw a documentary about "feral children". They are those children who are actually raised by animals and have no human intervention. So these children cannot develop human characteristics. They will be wild children. They don't know what is mirror, they don't know what is good to eat, they even don't know how to walk., etc. This is all about Nurture especially in human beings.

[@victorzaak]

yeah, i share your opinion, it is all about nurture

[@MrAykut23]

You cannot fight against your genetic destiny. But you also shouldn't attribute deficiencies that are irrelevant - to your DNA, in an attempt to refrain from engaging in a fight because that is weak. The example she gave of making yourself feel comfortable whilst eating what's not right, because you already know that you gain weight easily is 1 that's irrelevant. Hence something you're supposed to fight. Meanwhile their are deficiences that you're not supposed to fight. So evidently it's important to know where to draw the line, so you don't waste yourself. For e.g. trying to overcome the deficiences that lie within a certain relationship, due to a personality clash is not 1 you're supposed to fight because you're not going to overcome that.

[@Arlesmon]

So you're arguing that in certain situations fighting against your genetics is futile and you shouldn''t bother even if you want to improve yourself and achieve certain goals? Or that you should know your limits and use your maximum potential so that within your limits you can achieve great things and acomplish your goals?

[@salvagarcia6084]

muy bueno

[@brianstevens3858]

amazing to me this is still a thing both obviously are a factor this is why they keep arguing about it both right and both wrong

[@bornalidey3059]

I want her as my teacher 😫😫😫

[@sienalock5544]

Hey that’s my bio lecturer right there

[@IHadToMakeThisAccount]

I still believe that nurture has a more profound effect on what we become.

[@bshoupe87]

why? honestly asking. im doing a paper and im just stuck.

[@Bonzi_Buddy]

DNA > Nurture no matter what you believe.

[@higreentj]

With gene editing we can remove the damaging mutations, and retain and spread these beneficial mutations. What we need to understand is why evolution removed these beneficial mutations, like the ability to digest lactose, from our species.

[@maevemccann1944]

Evolution didn't remove the lactase persistence gene, it selected for it in countries where diet was based heavily on cow products. Including ireland where the lactase persistence gene is at some of the highest rates in the world. Populations in parts of south east asia for instance didn't experience this force so never encountered positive selection on the gene.

[@lyxzy-3036]

she never skips leg day

[@anusharas4123]

i was expecting something about 3 identical strangers

[@jakeabres2783]

I am here because I want to learn more. But my brain fly fly away because english language is my weakness 🥺

[@altheaberio648]

samedt.

[@speedodoyle]

Environment, or 'nurture', as an influence on evolution was first suggested by Lamark, about 50 years before Darwin's theory of evolution. There is an article out there somewhere on the internet that discusses a combination of Lamarkian and Darwinian theories of evolution, ie a combination of nature and nurture, as a functional unified theory of evolution. I think this is pretty much what the speaker in his video is getting at. To compare it with an example she gives, continued consumption of milk without the gene for being able to process milk could result in he mutation that adds that little C. This then is handed down genetically to offspring in the Darwinian survival of the fittest (most able to survive and thrive in a given local).

[@Brokebasturd]

So if im lactose intolerant and i drink milk regularly ill still be lactose intolerant but my kids wont???

[@speedodoyle]

@@Brokebasturd yes, that is what the article I read all those years ago told me. I half misremember that it was something to do with endocrinology, Dr.Eliot Reid’s area of expertise for one season on Scrubs.

[@geek7816]

i did it, but nothing hapened to me. I'm obsessed of milk ever since

[@ChezcaGarcia]

yes i am

[@Nat06]

🧚‍♀️❤️

[@tdreamgmail]

1:18 Mimi

[@alexandramadrigal1652]

Does anyone know why people who don't have the C (the cytosine she highlighted) gene to process lactose as adults are able to process lactose as infants? I mean why do they lose that ability to process lactose? or how are they able to process the lactose as infants if they don't have that gene?

[@amaremusic8513]

It's called lactase persistence, I think you initially express the gene and then stop, unless you have the mutuation in which case the gene *persists*

[@etsharry1619]

I know a lot of grown cats that consume milk 2 times a day and are very healthy.

[@dinaacademy8109]

I have tried to find out which is more influential, and I don't know if i can understand much, I got that nature is more influential? I will get back to this video again and again. Or anyone can tell me here which is more influential? thanks for your response

[@Gopniksquat]

It’s very complex and depends on what trait/characteristic we’re talking about. I would highly recommend watching some videos or reading articles about epigenetics. Basically we all have very similar DNA. Obviously there are small differences between all people that can be attributed to the small tweaks in DNA that have been passed down by our family over many generations. BUT, notice just how many differences there can be. Some, and maybe a lot, are directly influenced by WHEN, WHERE, and HOW OFTEN certain genes are expressed. There are tiny proteins that cover our DNA when it’s not being duplicated when our cells divide. At various times in our life, in various places of your body, and when specific events are happening inside you and outside of you (think mental or physical stimuli), sometimes these proteins “move around” or shift or are removed from the DNA. This will alter which genes are even able to be expressed (expressed=activated) and how frequently and how many copies of the protein(s) are produced. So the short answer is: for many things we don’t know until it’s heavily researched, but that takes time because the human body is incredibly complex. Like the professor’s example in the video, most of us will never have 6 fingers because most of us are born with the normal copy of the gene(s) that are in charge of developing fingers. But say we’re talking about something like starvation. If your parents or grandparents (or maybe even further back then that) experienced starvation, especially as children, the proteins that cover their genes that regulate hunger and nutrient storage (and others) will have their proteins covering them moved around or shifted. This changes how often, how intense, and when those genes will be expressed now. What’s really cool is that ‘shift’ in those proteins can be transmitted to later generations of children. So if they experienced starvation, there is a higher chance that you would have a higher resistance against hunger/starvation and you will likely store nutrients more efficiently so your body doesn’t starve when food accessibility is lower. So like I said, these things are very complex and only know about these examples specifically because they have been researched in-depth. If you want me to clarify anything, let me know! I know it can be confusing at first so I’m happy to help or point you in the right direction.

[@victorzaak]

i'd say 10% nature 90% nurture, depends on the subject, but nothing in life is guaranteed based on genetics alone

[@chelcieschreuder9303]

@@Gopniksquat .

[@yulianiemcruzrodriguez7551]

Alguien que me resuma el video?

[@tKoQ]

lol. I don't know why but I laughed at the way she walked away in the end. anyway, thank doc.

[@AM-fk7rp]

What was wrong with it?! I didn't see anything laughable. She is sweet... and I am sure you too.

[@tKoQ]

K. M it was funny, she looked goofy. I’m sure YOURE sweet.

[@denisekelleher9640]

Haha same😂

[@user-ig3zv7mg7e]

ㅣㅣㅣㅣㅣ88857999

[@SandyTheDesertFox]

I know people that were adopted who described being astounded by how similar they were when they met biological family At the same time, my best friend has an 'identical' twin, and if environment made no difference, they should, essentially, be the same person. But they're not. They're similar, sure, but they have different interests, tastes, life experiences, relationships, etc. They are not interchangeable people. So any notion that either nature or nurture 'wins' is very silly to me. Both influence us. We are not blank slates, but we aren't machines either

[@davidkain2464]

Great vid.. but i laughed at the awkward walk after the presentation lol

[@tKoQ]

lol same

[@bogdanlupu4426]

frumos la ora de eng

[@someexistance9841]

I read the book. Natures more powerful than nurture.... And when I spoke of the crow. I know what someone said. " you talking about the kid that walks around healing stuff? I walked past the garden and commanded it to grow and it did.

[@someexistance9841]

Hmm... Now I just have to figure out to get this to work better.

[@zaxxyy736]

Anyone else in Roddy’s class rn?

[@NoName-oj5pl]

"Nature vs Nurture" is one of the most idiotic conversations we can have. It's like having the conversation of "Time vs Space"

[@claireegoetz697]

please elaborate, i’d genuinely appreciate it

[@NoName-oj5pl]

@@claireegoetz697 Everything is one, and one is everything. There is no separation. As there is no inside and no outside, it's both that are required to make a whole. Many "interesting" topics are often reductionist thinking which goes against the truth.

[@gertfredrikson4584]

@@NoName-oj5pl I would say that not using diffrentiation and quantification is also reductionistic.

[@Noncreativevampir]

nature is who you are its how your born like the way you are on the inside while nuture is the way you are raised, the enviroment you are raised in and the way your parents raised you for example if you were raised in a loving household you would most likely grow up to be loving and sweet on the ourside but on the inside it will still be in your nature to be a bad person and have these bad and negative thoughts which you cant even control, you may even be confused on why you are like that,this is just an example though. different from the one shes talking about

[@Preacher_.]

Give this scientists at least another 30 minute TED talk...

[@mrs.saint-fleur]

I'm lactose intolerant but neither of my parents are & only my 1st born is too. It's a weird trait. *Maybe it's nature & nurture + anomalies.

[@Elfin1993]

I'm not entirely sure if this is a dominant trait (i.e. it is more likely passed on than not) but it could also be that it's just not an activated allele in or it's just not been passed onto your other children & your parents. Some traits can skip generations.

[@meapmeap11]

Now I want to drink a full glass of milk

[@THLaunched]

No…. You don’t, lol

[@estebanponguillo1174]

those glasses are sick

[@annamari7863]

they are great :)

[@estebanponguillo1174]

In a good way

[@user-ep3zn7mw7y]

استغفرالله العظيم واتوب إليه

[@altheamaegauran4272]

Noice!👏

[@Freepalestineee123]

The example of her saying just because you didn’t speak, German doesn’t mean you can’t learn German, but speaking German it’s not nature that’s still nurture. You are not into speaking a language that is man-made at the end of the day that is nurture.

[@yeungeddie]

HIIIIII

[@SuyogBhat]

summary pls

[@user-ep3zn7mw7y]

اللهم صلِّ على محمد وآل محمد

[@playsavedthechild.2848]

Irene do you work/study epigenetics?

[@anguspeattie416]

She's actually one of my lecturers for pre-med at the University of Melbourne. She has her own genomics lab. So yes.

[@playsavedthechild.2848]

@@anguspeattie416 My intrest comes from having play(worked) with a diagnosed(autistic) child, and his health seemed to improve(also more exposure to nature... and more emotions(let the child feel and negotiate theirin)... Could play(makeing happiness), exposure to life(less protected world=more stimuli), and contextual emotional immersion... What effect could this have had? and is there mechanics?! related to this... Did the body make other protiens(!?) that perhaps had other function in the body(!?) Making more sense to the garçon? ... just wondering. Really wondering.

[@anguspeattie416]

I think you are ovethinking a topic which already has a lot of research in it, maybe not only for autistic people but people in general. Positive outlook has been associated with better health outcomes for patients, and human interaction releases the usual feel-good chemicals like serotonin and endorphins. If you search for it you may even find a study specific to people with ASD.

[@playsavedthechild.2848]

@@anguspeattie416 One further reading more into things is... if Norepinephrine is made from dopamine, then is pleasure from play important to be first before new life choices are made? I'll look for the ASD talk. merci. *prone to overthinking :) mon forté. Thanks for your answer Angus Peattie.

[@logangomez4475]

What is the importance of studying child development?

[@Frisco6242]

I believe it's because of this nature vs nurture theory. There's evidence that our environment is what influences us to become the people we are today.. if we nurture the beings we are when we were children, then it is believed that we will grow to become successful beings as adults.. this is stemmed from the Bronfenbrenner model of the ecological theory.

[@bsn1-4camuamartinlouiseb.77]

I'm in the blue part but I digest milk till now and im 16yrs old

[@gortivusrandsbootshartingt1143]

Rip Candice 🙏

[@justinindustries2747]

Watched this whole video just for her to tell me the most obvious thing.

[@koolkiller6872]

Does anyone ever just watch TED Talks out of free will? I know I get forced to

[@brandimartin5825]

I’ve watched some of my free will outside of school. The topics are endless I’m sure there are some on things you would enjoy.

[@grahammcdonald]

Now I want to down a pint of delicious milk. I am from the UK and very pale skinned, so it all makes sense now.

[@jaydope4823]

if you say genes has nothing to do with you then how am I supposed to win my debate? i refuse this idea /j *raising eyebrow emoji

[@someexistance9841]

You can control your DNA.

[@jonathanbernacer6345]

ako nalang ang nanonood nito

[@AniMe-wz2ln]

You're not alone bruhh

[@user-so7br8tm5u]

مصطفى لطيف كعيد

[@cdt.pulidoshaiglenalam_ru8101]

Merry Christmas BEED 1-B HAHAHAHAHAHA

[@johnallencaboles3888]

Merry christmas🙂

[@theoracle42]

I'm here because she's absolutely beautiful

[@Moneyg73]

Meh

[@inferioritycomplextransfer9711]

Release the king

[@ahumanoidoforiginx7957]

But......... sometimes u can’t speak another language because your native or traditional tongue prohibits your ability to roll your tongue and make certain sounds

[@k.r4748]

However, you can train yourself to role your tongue because of your brain's ability to make and break bonds (neuroplasticity)

[@bexmarler3391]

you can still learn a language but not be able to say some words. you still know what those words mean.

[@bugerang]

anime cafe

[@nihilisticnordichome3739]

How are you two years ahead?

[@user-fn3ut5tm1b]

نبأ يوسف سعيد

[@dudedude9528]

Womens who are smart are hot who agrees

[@jessikahburgess9636]

How do u kno its not the vitamin D3 powder thats making u feel upset not the lactose

[@dr.chickenfingers5696]

nope its the lactose

[@CrazySeamstress1]

You forgot about the baby cows. Where are all the baby cows at and why are we drinking their milk?

[@siennajones9678]

She explained that in baby mammals you can break down lactose then as you develop into adulthood and with intestinal development you are no longer able to breakdown lactose unless you have that gene

[@Elfin1993]

You probably don't have that gene.

[@inferioritycomplextransfer9711]

Little big head syndrome

[@agatahoffa7266]

Cows milk is a baby calf growth food. Not yours.

[@cj597]

Agata Hoffa this is not a speech on veganism. She is using milk as an example of Nature vs Nurture.

[@bethanlouiseking212]

Shut up Hoffa

[@nathalieandparis]

Agreed!!!

[@dr.chickenfingers5696]

shutup nerd

[@mohammadanwar9848]

Lemme give a quick argument in favour of nature, leave you to draw your own conclusions. Different species think drastically differently. We know that as fact plus that opens to us a possibility of why differences in thought processes couldn't exist in the same species as well? Differences of a very fundamental quality. Like a cat or dog would never imagine, imagining differently. Would it take a more intelligent species than us to point the same phenomena happening with humans as well? Put 100 cats in one giant room with the exact same nurture from birth, each will turn out to have different personality

[@oneschance]

All opinion and no facts.

[@abu19711]

Sorry what is nature..?human evolution of European descent is different? What make Europeans different although Africans have herds more than European. What nature have inflicted on afroamerican? Smoking introduced to Europe's by sir William ralley

[@Freepalestineee123]

She’s not making sense all the way some parts I could understand but some parts of what she saying doesn’t make any sense

[@PeriodDrama]

None of this was stuff the average person doesn’t already know

[@ryanfewell2693]

Great lecture but she's got zero drip whatsoever.