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Special | 3m 6s | Video has closed captioning.
DNA spells the instructions for every living thing we know about with just four letters. In this episode, we'll see how scientists are expanding the DNA alphabet that could show us what to look for in the search for E.T.
Aired: 04/01/20
From:
(spooky music) - [Man in White] (gasps) A life form, sir!
- [Man in Blue] Are you getting a reading?
- [Man in White] No, I didn't get a reading at all.
I just see a life form.
Look!
- Hey, y'all, welcome to the planet!
- [Man in Blue] Why aren't you showing up on our instrument?
- Oh, that's because you're looking for Earth stuff, and this ain't Earth, y'all.
- [Man in Blue] Ah.
- Look here.
Every living thing on Earth is built using instructions called DNA, and every DNA instruction uses the exact same code system, an alphabet of just four little ol' nucleobases.
(dog whimpers) But when these four bases are arranged differently, we get different instructions.
How about that?
- [Man in Blue] Hm.
- Instructions that cells follow to make proteins, and it's proteins that make living things what they are.
(dog barks) And that's how it works on Earth.
- [Man in Blue] Doesn't DNA work the same way here?
- (laughs) No, there's no intergalactic rule that says DNA works the same everywhere.
- Oh.
- Why, right now on your Earth, scientists are stretching those rules of life with synthetic DNA.
- [Man in White] Stretching the rules of life?
That's scary.
- No, baby, it ain't scary.
Look here.
Let's say the DNA code was music notes, and every song was based on those notes, and then let's say someone came along and made brand new sounds and just slapped then into the song.
Now that'd break a song, make it noise instead of music, mm-hm.
(cacaphonous tones) But y'all's Earth scientists have figured out how to fit their newfangled sounds into existing songs without 'em breaking.
(jazzy horn music) That could mean a whole different kind of music, one that you might even need a whole new kind of ear to hear.
- [Man in Blue] That's weird.
- Yes, it is (laughs) and mighty powerful.
(dreamy music) Synthetic DNA could mean new medicines, new fuels, and maybe even new life forms, like you two handsome fellas.
- [Man in Blue] But you're the new life form.
- Oh, no, honey.
(chuckles) I've been around much longer than you humans.
- [Man in Blue] Is that how you know so much about our DNA?
- That, and it's just plain delicious.
(laughs) - [Man in Blue] Delicious?
(tentacled created laughs maniacally) (tentacled creature gobbles) (upbeat jazz music)
The Gene.
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What the heck is a gene, anyway? This animated series won’t get you a PhD, but it does clear up a few mysteries about how genes work and what they might look like in the future. (Microscope not required.)
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