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This Week in Evolution

This Week in Evolution

By: Vincent Racaniello
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About this listen

This Week in Evolution is a podcast on the biology of what makes us tick. Hosts Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello take you through the new evolution that has been revolutionized by the field of genomics and molecular biology.Copyright 2022 Vincent Racaniello Nature & Ecology Science
Episodes
  • TWiEVO 122: The evolution of selfishness
    Feb 2 2026

    Nels and Vincent explain how selfishness evolved multiple times from an essential tRNA synthetase gene in a nematode.

    Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello

    Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email

    Become a patron of TWiEVO

    Links for this episode
    • Join the MicrobeTV Discord server
    • Evolution of selfishness from a tRNA synthetase gene (Nat Ecol Evol)
    • Timestamps by Jolene
    Science Picks

    Nels - From Where Does it STEM?
    Vincent - An Act of Cosmic Sabotage

    Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles

    Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv

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    1 hr and 15 mins
  • TWiEVO 121: AI imagines viruses
    Jan 8 2026

    Nels and Vincent examines the use of AI and genome language models to design novel derivatives of bacteriophage phiX174.

    Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello

    Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email

    Become a patron of TWiEVO

    Links for this episode
    • Join the MicrobeTV Discord server
    • AI design of bacteriophage phiX174 derivatives (bioRxiv)
    • Timestamps by Jolene
    Science Picks

    Nels – NIH official resigns after flap over risks of seasonal flu virus study and The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) requests input from all interested parties on Federal policy updates that aim to accelerate the American scientific enterprise, enable groundbreaking discoveries, and ensure that scientific progress and technological innovation benefit all Americans.
    VincentOne Plus One Equals One: Symbiosis and the evolution of complex life by John Archibald

    Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles

    Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 42 mins
  • TWiEVO 120: Sparkle pony
    Jan 8 2026

    Nels and Vincent explain research which shows that insertion of a retrovirus into the genome regulates a novel color trait in swordtail fish.

    Hosts: Nels Elde and Vincent Racaniello

    Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email

    Become a patron of TWiEVO

    Links for this episode
    • Join the MicrobeTV Discord server
    • Retrovirus and swordfish scale color (bioRxiv)
    • Timestamps by Jolene
    Science Picks

    Nels – Some like it hot! A geothermal amoeba sets a new upper temperature limit for eukaryotes and Kara Marshall's talk on history of science/science funding in the US, family connections to medical care, and her own lab's work at Baylor College of Medicine
    Vincent – NIH shake-up to grant decision-making draws concerns of political meddling

    Music on TWiEVO is performed by Trampled by Turtles

    Send your evolution questions and comments to twievo@microbe.tv

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 46 mins
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