2 chapters across the catalog
The technical discovery of HeLa cells occurred when Dr. George Gey at Johns Hopkins took a biopsy from Henrietta Lacks during her cancer treatment. Unlike previous samples that died within 24 hours, Lacks' cells doubled in number daily, creating a "cash machine" for the medical industry. The discussion highlights the ethical violation of treating poor patients in "public wards" as experimental subjects in exchange for free care.
A TED talk by Jennifer Kahn explains how gene drives could be used to eliminate "invasive species" like Asian carp by ensuring only male offspring are born. The hosts react with alarm, questioning who defines which species—or groups of humans—are "invasive." They argue that the lack of "informed consent" regarding mRNA and genetic technology is a modern form of eugenics disguised as scientific progress.
