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Nice Genes!

Genomic Repeat: Nodding our Tusks to Heroic Mutations

Aug 4, 2026 · 42 min · 14 segments

*This episode was originally released on August 2, 2022* Just like any good superhero comic, we start this episode with the science going incredibly wrong. Think: vats of toxic waste producing evil…

*This episode was originally released on August 2, 2022* Just like any good superhero comic, we start this episode with the science going incredibly wrong. Think: vats of toxic waste producing evil mutants that ravage the city. Or maybe not so evil. It really depends on your perspective. Just like the X-men, genetic mutations get a bad rap in the public eye. But they aren’t *all* nasty. Dr. Kaylee Byers speaks with data scientist and evolutionary biologist Dr. Brian Arnold on how the genetic ‘mistakes’ known as variants occasionally encode incredible abilities. Odd elephants, hiding in our ocean depths, and Rogue-ish bacteria are just a few examples. Dr. Arnold defends these genetic anomalies, and explains how they can make a huge difference to the future of humanity and life on this planet. Also joining us is marine biologist Dr. Maria Pia Miglietta, who shares an incredible ability sitting in our ocean depths. Immortality. So strap on your capes, because we’re heading straight into the strange terrain of “heroic mutations.” Listen to Nice Genes! wherever you get your podcasts, brought to you by Genome British Columbia. **Resources:** 01. Genetic Mutation - Nature 02. Genomic mutation rates: What high-throughput methods can tell us 03. Shane Campbell Staton Group - Tuskless Elephants 04. Ivory poaching and the rapid evolution of tusklessness in African elephants - Science 05. Real-Life X-Men: How CRISPR Could Give You Superpowers in the Future - synthego.com 06. Indonesian divers have evolved bigger spleens to hunt underwater - Science 07. Mutations may reveal how Tibetans can live on world's highest plateau - Science 08. The Immortal Jellyfish - American Museum of Natural History 09. Cellular reprogramming and immortality: Expression profiling reveals putative genes involved in Turritopsis dohrnii’s life cycle reversal 10. Transcriptome Characterization of Reverse Development in Turritopsis dohrnii (Hydrozoa, Cnidaria) 11. Horizontal gene transfer and adaptive evolution in bacteria - nature reviews microbiology 12. Horizontal gene transfer overrides mutation in Escherichia coli colonizing the mammalian gut - PNAS 13. The Ship of Theseus Dilemma - Open Okstate

*This episode was originally released on August 2, 2022* Just like any good superhero comic, we start this episode with the science going incredibly wrong. Think: vats of toxic waste producing evil…

Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube Amazon Music Website

Speakers: Brian ArnoldGuestKaylee ByersHostMaria Pia MigliettaGuestSeanGuest

Top entities: Kaylee A Byers×11 DNA×2 Shane Campbell-Staton×6 Tibetans×3 Ship of Theseus×2

Show signals: SuitabilitySafeBiasNot politicalAudience≈40k followers

Vox-Pop Superpower Wishes4:15 – 5:52

S

SeanGuest

4:15

[gentle music] So to start on this X-Men inspired journey, my fellow producers and I hit the streets to ask one simple question: If you had a superpower, what would it be? You never know, maybe one of them is actually possible.

U

UnknownUnknown

4:29

If I could have a superpower, and what would it be, I would want to be invisible so that I could go and listen to what people are saying behind my back.

U

UnknownUnknown

4:40

[laughs] If I could have any superpower, it would be to read minds.

U

UnknownUnknown

4:44

If I had a superpower, it would probably be to travel in time.

U

UnknownUnknown

4:48

Probably flying because, A, gas prices, and I love aerial views, so it would just be good for my wallet and for my mental health.

U

UnknownUnknown

4:58

[laughs]

S

SeanGuest

4:59

Okay, so flying is a popular power, and why not? Have you seen airplane tickets today? [comical music]

Kaylee ByersHost

5:06

Womp, womp.

Kaylee ByersHost

5:07

[laughs]

S

SeanGuest

5:07

What I didn't expect when it came to discussing mutations is folks actually don't always have the most favorable view of them.

U

UnknownUnknown

5:15

Um, I think a genetic mutation is when you get, like, an extra, like, limb.

U

UnknownUnknown

5:19

Like, a l- like, an extra foot or an extra finger or, like, an extra eye, and I don't think they're good.

U

UnknownUnknown

5:24

I, I guess, like, a mutation is kind of like when something goes wrong, right? Like, when something goes awry.

U

UnknownUnknown

5:30

Well, it can be anything from a facial feature to something in your, like, a heart valve missing.

Kaylee ByersHost

5:37

Ah, I see where this is going.

S

SeanGuest

5:39

Yeah.

S

SeanGuest

5:40

So in our mission to bust some genomic myths, I think it's time we set the record straight.

S

SeanGuest

5:46

Let's give these genetic variations the moment in the sun they deserve, and let's think of some of them as our heroic mutations.

Kaylee A ByersPersonResearcher
99%11 mentions
DNAEntity
96%2 mentions
Shane Campbell-StatonPersonEvolutionary biologist
94%6 mentions
TibetansEntityEthnic group
92%3 mentions
Ship of TheseusEntity
89%2 mentions
British ColumbiaAdministrative AreaCanadian Province
87%4 mentions
humorEntity
85%2 mentions
Gorongosa National ParkTourist AttractionNational park in Mozambique
82%3 mentions
Immortal jellyfishEntityAnimal
80%8 mentions
MozambiqueCountryCountry in East Africa
77%6 mentions
ElephantEntityMammal
75%1 mention
ScienceEntityDiscipline
73%3 mentions
ArticleEntityShort non-fiction variety
70%1 mention
CitationEntity
68%1 mention
HydrozoansEntityJellyfish
65%1 mention
American Museum of Natural HistoryMuseumNatural history museum in New York
63%1 mention
CnidariaEntityAnimal
61%1 mention
E. coliEntityBacteria
58%1 mention
Christmas IslandCountryAustralian external territory
56%2 mentions
YouTubeWebsiteVideo sharing company
54%2 mentions
TheseusEntityGreek hero
51%4 mentions
Sama-BajauEntityEthnic group
49%2 mentions
TurritopsisEntityJellyfish
46%6 mentions
Harvard UniversityCollege or UniversityPrivate university in Cambridge, Massachusetts
44%2 mentions
Cartesian coordinate systemEntity
42%1 mention
SupermanEntityDC Universe character
39%3 mentions
AppleCompanyTechnology company
37%2 mentions
Princeton UniversityCollege or UniversityPrivate university in Princeton, New Jersey
35%2 mentions
Harvard Department of Organismic and Evolutionary BiologyEntityAcademic department in Cambridge, Massachusetts
32%1 mention
CambridgeCityCity in Massachusetts
29%1 mention
MassachusettsAdministrative AreaUS state
29%1 mention
IndonesiaCountryCountry in Asia
25%1 mention
CRISPREntity
23%1 mention
XEntitySocial networking service
20%1 mention
North AmericaContinentContinent
18%1 mention
PanamaCountryCountry in Central America
15%2 mentions
Texas A&M UniversityCollege or UniversityLand-grant university in College Station, Texas
13%1 mention
Bocas del ToroCityCity in Panama
11%1 mention
CaribbeanAdministrative AreaRegion
8%1 mention
FloridaAdministrative AreaUS state
4%1 mention
JapanCountryCountry in East Asia
4%1 mention
SpainCountryCountry
4%1 mention

X-MenEntertainment > Media > Pop Culture > Superheroes
ConservationScience > Zoology > Elephants
Genetic ResearchScience > Zoology > Elephants > Conservation
ImmortalityScience > Marine Biology > Jellyfish
Genetic AdaptationScience > Marine Biology > Jellyfish > Immortality
IdentitySociety > Culture > Mythology > Philosophy
Society
CultureSociety
MediaEntertainment
GeneticsScience > Biology
JellyfishScience > Marine Biology
SuperheroesEntertainment > Media > Pop Culture
EvolutionScience > Biology > Genetics > Mutations
PhilosophySociety > Culture > Mythology
MutationsScience > Biology > Genetics
ElephantsScience > Zoology
MythologySociety > Culture
Pop CultureEntertainment > Media
Marine BiologyScience
Entertainment
Science
BiologyScience
ZoologyScience

Vox-Pop Superpower Wishes4:15 – 5:52

S

SeanGuest

4:15

[gentle music] So to start on this X-Men inspired journey, my fellow producers and I hit the streets to ask one simple question: If you had a superpower, what would it be? You never know, maybe one of them is actually possible.

U

UnknownUnknown

4:29

If I could have a superpower, and what would it be, I would want to be invisible so that I could go and listen to what people are saying behind my back.

U

UnknownUnknown

4:40

[laughs] If I could have any superpower, it would be to read minds.

U

UnknownUnknown

4:44

If I had a superpower, it would probably be to travel in time.

U

UnknownUnknown

4:48

Probably flying because, A, gas prices, and I love aerial views, so it would just be good for my wallet and for my mental health.

U

UnknownUnknown

4:58

[laughs]

S

SeanGuest

4:59

Okay, so flying is a popular power, and why not? Have you seen airplane tickets today? [comical music]

Kaylee ByersHost

5:06

Womp, womp.

Kaylee ByersHost

5:07

[laughs]

S

SeanGuest

5:07

What I didn't expect when it came to discussing mutations is folks actually don't always have the most favorable view of them.

U

UnknownUnknown

5:15

Um, I think a genetic mutation is when you get, like, an extra, like, limb.

U

UnknownUnknown

5:19

Like, a l- like, an extra foot or an extra finger or, like, an extra eye, and I don't think they're good.

U

UnknownUnknown

5:24

I, I guess, like, a mutation is kind of like when something goes wrong, right? Like, when something goes awry.

U

UnknownUnknown

5:30

Well, it can be anything from a facial feature to something in your, like, a heart valve missing.

Kaylee ByersHost

5:37

Ah, I see where this is going.

S

SeanGuest

5:39

Yeah.

S

SeanGuest

5:40

So in our mission to bust some genomic myths, I think it's time we set the record straight.

S

SeanGuest

5:46

Let's give these genetic variations the moment in the sun they deserve, and let's think of some of them as our heroic mutations.

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