Are we one step closer to creating life in a lab?
The lab-created 鈥楽pudCell鈥� is arguably the most complete synthetic cell developed to date. But is it really the turning point in synthetic biology that some people think?
Synthetic biologist Kate Adamal and her team at the University of Minnesota published their research into the lab-created 鈥楽pudCell鈥� in a significant step towards building life from scratch. Science journalist, Kai Kupferschmidt, joins us to discuss the implications of this research, as well as the controversies.
Nature reporter Lizzie Gibney tells us how science has helped us better understand the route that the famous Carthaginian general, Hannibal 鈥� and not forgetting his elephants 鈥� took across the Alps.
Plus, in this week鈥檚 scout of science stories behind the 鈥榖eautiful game鈥� we learn of research carried out at a Tokyo football match, monitoring seismic waves made by the vigorous celebrations of thousands of fans.
Presenter: Tom Whipple
Producer: Kate White, Alex Mansfield, Katie Tomsett, Tabitha Taylor Buck
Editor: Martin Smith
Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth
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