"A Grim Enemy For Reasons We Do Not Yet Comprehend"
5/11/202644 min
- This episode contains descriptions of warfare and use of chemical weapons * How do you feed a world that’s running out of food? In this episode of The Rest Is Science, Hannah Fry and Michael Stevens uncover one of the strangest and most unsettling stories in modern science: the tale of the man who learned how to pull fertiliser out of thin air. This discovery transformed agriculture. It made modern civilisation possible. But it also powered explosives, prolonged the First World War, and helped to birth some of the most deadly chemical weapons in history. From battles for bird poop and to the ethics of scientific progress, this is the story of the molecule that changed humanity forever.
For more information about Cancer Research UK, their research, breakthroughs and how you can support them, visit https://cancerresearchuk.org/restisscience Cancer Research UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1089464), Scotland (SC041666), the Isle of Man (1103) and Jersey (247). A company limited by guarantee. Registered company in England and Wales (4325234) and the Isle of Man (5713F). Registered address: 2 Redman Place, London, E20 1JQ.
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsHannah Fry· Host0:00
Welcome to The Rest is Science. I'm Hannah Fry.
Michael Stevens· Host0:01
And I'm Michael Stevens.
Hannah Fry· Host0:02
Okay, Michael, I want you to tell me who you think is the biggest villain in all of history.
Michael Stevens· Host0:08
The biggest villain.
Hannah Fry· Host0:09
Mm.
Michael Stevens· Host0:09
Mm.
Hannah Fry· Host0:10
[upbeat music] This episode is brought to you by Cancer Research UK.
Michael Stevens· Host0:18
Here's something strange. Your DNA contains more ancient viral fragments than genes. The genes that build our cells make up only 2% of our DNA, and for years, that is what scientists focused on. They treated the rest, the ancient viruses and stuff, as junk.
Hannah Fry· Host0:38
But now we know that that hidden majority, sometimes called the dark genome, influences how our biology works and how diseases like cancer behave.
Michael Stevens· Host0:49
It's a reminder that progress rarely comes as a single breakthrough. It builds gradually. Cancer Research UK plays a central role in that progress, supporting decades of research into over 200 types of cancer, work that's helped double survival in the UK over the past 50 years.
Hannah Fry· Host1:08
For more information about Cancer Research UK, their research breakthroughs, and how you can support them, visit cancerresearchuk.org/therestisscience.
Speaker 21:19
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