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Podcast: The World, the Universe and Us
Episode: New genome of ancient human; 95% of us have a dormant virus that causes disease; Formula E cars faster than F1; Bill Bryson joins the pod!
Description: Episode 332
For only the second time, the genome of an ancient Denisovan has been sequenced - thanks to the discovery of a 200,000-year-old tooth found in a Siberian cave. This ancient member of the human family has long been a mystery, so this genome is being described as a bombshell moment, revealing an early stage of Denisovan history. We explore how this reshapes our understanding about the origins of our species.
Some 95 per cent of us have a dormant virus, lurking in our bodies - waiting to strike when the moment’s right. Epstein-Barr virus ca...