The dark history of genetics - with Adam Rutherford (2023 HBS Haldane Lecture)

Genetics is a subject with a long past, and some of our greatest geneticists have had some troubling beliefs.
Join this channel to watch the Q&A for this lecture: • Q&A: The dark and trou...
Buy Adam's book 'Control: The Dark History and Troubling Present of Eugenics' here: geni.us/OrlwiUF
This lecture was recorded at the Ri on 11 October 2023.
Join the 2023 JBS Haldane Lecturer Adam Rutherford as he explores how, as we continue to use and celebrate the advances of our intellectual predecessors, we frequently fail to acknowledge the toxic political views that informed their work.
Even today, scientists are not exempt from their culture, and science is always political. In this talk Adam will explore the work, views and legacies of some of our heroes, including Karl Pearson, Ronald Fisher and yes, JBS Haldane.
The JBS Haldane Lecture recognises an individual for outstanding ability to communicate topical subjects in genetics research, widely interpreted, to an interested lay audience. This speaker will have a flair for conveying the relevance and excitement of recent advances in genetics in an informative and engaging way. Find out more here: genetics.org.uk/medals-and-pr...
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Dr Adam Rutherford is a science writer and broadcaster. He studied genetics at University College London, and during his PhD on the developing eye, he was part of a team that identified the first genetic cause of a form of childhood blindness.
He has written and presented many award-winning series and programmes for the BBC, including the flagship weekly Radio 4 programme 'Inside Science' and 'The curious cases of Rutherford & Fry' with Dr Hannah Fry.
He is the author 'Creation', which was shortlisted for the Wellcome Trust Prize, 'A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived', 'The Book of Humans' the Sunday Times bestselling 'How to Argue with a Racist' and the co-author of 'Rutherford and Fry's Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything (Abridged)'.
Adam's latest book, 'Control: The Dark History and Troubling Present of Eugenics' is available from Amazon here: geni.us/OrlwiUF
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[@relwalretep]

It's such a shame Dr Rutherford sometimes chooses to tell people to read quotes on his slides "for themselves", it's quite unfair to believe everyone is in a position to be able to read. Somewhat ironic, really...

[@murraylove]

I think 'racial' in Huxley's statement is likely referring to the whole human race. He was a man of his time in that 'race' was used at species level and perhaps higher. Look at Darwin's use of 'favoured races' in regard to all kinds of naturally selected organisms in his book. In our time, the race-related word has shrunk to focus on prejudices between humans.

[@teluobir]

13:40

[@jalalkhosravi6458]

Great talk, informative

[@PetrZemla]

speaking about idea of "matter and energy" relationship, if you know something about HOW special relativity works and what s result of this famous relationship, it has nothing to do with speculations like that. In literature of late 19th century you can find out many interesting ideas - from our perspective, when we read it from our contemprorary perspective. We need to be able to distinct these ideas - between popularisation of these times and between foreseen ideas - as an example Henri Poincare s idea of gravity propagation and results of Einstein General theory of relativity. With all respect to Pearson, physics of this time is something else than biology as famously lord Kelvin mentioned - sounds rough from today s perspective, but there s something in it.

[@stevencarr4002]

Darwin knew nothing about genes. He had the insight to know that the environment determines characteristics. For example, paler skin evolved as a result of selection pressure caused by the environment.

[@larahemmings6475]

great talk

[@CorgiTheRegularCorgi17]

I’m four minutes in and the “and then they were racist/eugenist at the end of every scientist introduction is making me laugh

[@mayflowerlash11]

How far should the cancelling of the name of Fisher proceed? Until we deny that he made any scientific contribution? That is a slippery downward slope towards ignorance.

[@quantx6572]

Very interesting lecture. Glad I took the time to watch.

[@mayflowerlash11]

The attendees listed at

[@stevencarr4002]

Why doesn't Rutherford examine the views of African scientists working in the field of genetics to see if they were also biased in any way?

[@religion3696]

Hi

[@Lanonymoose]

One of the most interesting talks I've watched on this channel. Excellent speaker with and excellently built talk. Good job!

[@mayflowerlash11]

Watson on Franklin. Again rewrite history to get closer to the truth, NOT to align with your modern agenda. This is a hard task no doubt.

[@GordonShuffell]

Some people may have difficulty reading because of eyesight problems

[@kaihanstein52]

"We've embraced the eugenicists view that all characteristics are determined by single genes and that is what we teach to school children." This is totally absurd! (He cant even make an argument there.)

[@eleycki]

Dr Rutherford surely?

[@davidjazay9248]

Excellent talk, thank you. For further reading, I would highly recommend Siddhartha Mukherjee's The Gene: An Intimate History.

[@mbcx9ts2]

First time I've heard someone swear during an RI lecture. I listened to this whole lecture and it was the worst one that I've listened to, very little science and a lot of moral grandstanding.