Science Of The Times

Colossal Bioscience has brought genetic variation back from the grave. It is a remarkable technological achievement, but is it species de-extinction? In this second part of this podcast we talk to Professor Peter Hudson FRS,  a world-leading ecologist, who is concerned by Colossal’s claims and what they might mean.

Creators and Guests

Host
Syma Khalid
Professor of Computational Microbiology at University of Oxford
Host
Tim Coulson
Author of The Universal History of Us published by Penguin 2024 Professor of Zoology, University of Oxford EcologyEvolution, Existence, Science
Guest
Professor Peter Hudson FRS
Peter Hudson was the first to demonstrate that the boom and bust cycles of red grouse populations were linked to their infection with a parasitic worm. In his classic study he gathered evidence through an inventive series of field experiments, treating individually identified birds with antiparasitic drugs and measuring their breeding success. He has gone on to explore how infection affects population ecology in a broad range of hosts, and under different conditions of climate, predation and food supply. Peter’s interests extend from the spread of infection through wild populations to the transmission of diseases to humans. He received the 2005 Carlton Herman Award from the US Wildlife Disease Association. He was elected Corresponding Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2010 and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2012. He was given an Honorary Degree by Queen Mary University of London in 2014.

What is Science Of The Times?

Do you want to learn a little more about topical science findings? Do many of the science stories you hear leave you with unanswered questions? Syma and Tim will discuss in non-technical language and in a fun and engaging style, recently published science findings. Guests will be authors of these papers and will include some of the world’s most exciting scientists who are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge. Covering, among other things, artificial intelligence, the search for alien life, the latest treatments for diseases, quantum computers, the science of football and topics requested by listeners, the half hour episodes will leave listeners feeling a little more knowledgeable about cutting-edge science and how scientists make discoveries.