Medicine

Dr Adam Rutherford shows how decoding the genome has led us to begin to understand the very process by which our DNA makes us different; how it makes each one of us on earth unique and influences who we are and the traits we have. He reveals how, as we try and understand the relationship between who we are and our genes, we stand at the beginning of the most exciting scientific journey of all time.

Autistic minds provide windows into how we all think, feel, and behave. A complete brain science should be able to account for all kinds of minds and brains. As long as some minds remain a mystery, so too will all minds.
Michael Stevens travels to London to meet a blind, autistic savant with astonishing musical abilities, and volunteers to have his brain's function temporarily disrupted at UCLA's Neuromodulation Lab.

Heart disease is the number one cause of deaths worldwide, killing more than eight million people each year. Cardiac infarction, more commonly known as a heart attack, can happen without warning, killing heart muscle cells immediately. Even if the patient recovers, the damage to their heart may not.
But there are researchers frantically working to change that. Meet the people inventing the future of cardiac health, from new ways of imaging the body, to the possibility of 3D printing a functioning heart.

A single microscopic brain cell cannot think, is not conscious, but if you bring in a few more brain cells, and a few more, and connect them all, at a certain point, the group itself will be able to think and experience emotions and have opinions and a personality and know that it exists. How can such astonishing things be made from such simple ingredients? Well, answering that question means learning not only who we are but, more importantly, how we are.
Today, using what neuroscientists know so far, we are going to make a town function like a brain, using people as neurons.

The film unveils the profound impact of our gut on overall health, an area often overlooked despite its significance. Delving into the complexities of the gut microbiome, this documentary reveals how this ‘second brain’ influences everything from weight management and disease prevention to mental health. By exploring personal stories and scientific research, the film illustrates the dynamic relationship between what we eat and how we feel, urging viewers to reconsider their diets and understand the powerful connection between gut health and wellness.
As the documentary progresses, viewers are introduced to cutting-edge research and therapies that are reshaping our understanding of health. Through expert interviews and captivating case studies, ‘Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut’ not only informs but also inspires a reevaluation of lifestyle choices. This eye-opening journey through the intricate world of gut health highlights the potential for radical improvements in public health, making it a must-watch for anyone interested in the latest advancements in science and wellness.

Dr Chris van Tulleken, Dr Hannah Fry and Michael Mosley examine the latest research and explore some of the big questions about Covid-19 and the pandemic it has created. Michael visits the UK government's high-security laboratory Porton Down, where vaccines are being tested. He also uncovers what the experience of the 2002 SARs epidemic reveals about this one. Both were caused by coronaviruses, but certain key changes to today's virus have allowed it to infect the world, where SARs was contained.