Chapter
Convenient Traits of the Frog Xenopus
1:24:54 - 1:28:43 (03:48)
Xenopus is a very convenient tool due to its ability to breed in the lab and its abundance of tools for researchers making it easy to develop new transcriptional circuits. However, extensive engineering may obscure the true nature of this species' native cells.
Clips
The distinction between "engineered" and "natural" organisms is becoming outdated given the continual development of new transcriptional circuits, metabolic machinery, and more.
1:24:54 - 1:27:02 (02:08)
Summary
The distinction between "engineered" and "natural" organisms is becoming outdated given the continual development of new transcriptional circuits, metabolic machinery, and more. The binary categories that were once useful for classification are now standing in the way of scientific advancements.
ChapterConvenient Traits of the Frog Xenopus
Episode#325 – Michael Levin: Biology, Life, Aliens, Evolution, Embryogenesis & Xenobots
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Frogs are a popular research animal because they are easy to breed and raise in laboratories and have been used for decades to improve our understanding of birth defects, neurobiology, cancer immunology and more.
1:27:02 - 1:28:43 (01:40)
Summary
Frogs are a popular research animal because they are easy to breed and raise in laboratories and have been used for decades to improve our understanding of birth defects, neurobiology, cancer immunology and more.