Nice Genes!

This episode was originally released on August 16, 2022 In order to seek genomic justice, you have to get out of the lab and into the field. Dr. Kaylee Byers grabs a magnifying glass and a deerstalker cap as she goes to the scene of one of North America’s oldest cold case murder mysteries, the “Babes in the Woods.” This over 70-year-old unsolved case has finally had some closure due to emerging fo...

Rapid Evolution in the Modern Age Evolution is like the ultimate slowburn, unfolding over millennia. And in our modern society, where things move so fast, it’s easy to miss this incremental but constant transformation. Not only is evolution happening all around us, in some cases it’s even picking up the pace. In our season finale, our resident superhero, Ratwoman, returns with a new sidekick: The...

Managing an Invisible Disease Is there a Zombie moose on the loose?! Not quite... But there  is  something lurking in the woods that has our “deer” friends shakin' in their hooves. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a 100% fatal illness that’s creeping its way through cervid populations, and it’s nearly impossible to spot. Luckily, wildlife biologists like our guest Cait Nelson from the BC...

Forensic Methods in Disaster Recovery Content warning: this episode discusses forensic science and the identification of human remains that may not be suited for all audiences. Natural disasters can strike without warning. And when they do, they can leave destruction, displacement, and loss of life in their wake. First responders rush to help those in need, while forensic scientists face the diffi...

Rethinking the Divide in Autism Diagnoses Dr. Hannah Belcher was already studying autism she found out she herself was Autistic. Getting her diagnosis felt like everything suddenly clicked… but why did it take so long to get answers? In this episode, Hannah shares her journey and talks about how many Autistic people, especially women, learn to mask their true selves to fit in– causing them to slip...

The Deceptive Seduction of Femme Fatale Fireflies In the buzzin’ firefly nightlife scene, neon lights glow bright and sparks fly. But, there’s murder on the dancefloor… The infamous 'Femme Fatale' firefly has mastered the ultimate bait-and-switch seduction strategy, and these sly flies (that are really beetles, actually) aren’t interested in a happily ever after, instead they’re looking for a ‘one...

How genomics is shaping the future of cervical cancer screening [Content Warning: This episode mentions sexual assault and medical trauma.] Nearly  80%  of people will get Human Papillomavirus (HPV) at some point in their lives. Even though HPV is super common, the symptoms are often subtle or invisible and can sometimes lead to cervical cancer if left undetected. But thanks to new gover...

The hidden battle between medicine and microbes   Since the discovery of penicillin in 1928, antibiotics have been our frontline defence against bacterial infections. But this revolutionary medicine is losing ground in the fight. Today, Antimicrobial resistance has become one of the biggest threats to human health– and the stakes only getting higher. But don’t panic, hope is on the horizon! I...

Separating Skincare Science Fact from Fiction Could your skincare be hiding more than just a few blemishes? Or, is the word “toxic” getting a li’l too much attention these days… You may have heard the buzz about endocrine-disrupting   compounds that silently interfere with our hormones. But with so much misinformation online fueling the fear-fire, it’s hard to know what’s really harmful and w...

…98, 99, 100! Ready or not, here we come with a brand new season of ' Nice Genes!' Science is like a game of hide and seek, and genomics is one of its stealthiest players, challenging us to uncover its "see-crets". Join host Dr. Kaylee Byers for Season 4 of Nice Genes! where we shine an ultraviolet light on the hidden forces that shape our world– and investigate the genomic questions you didn’t ev...

How Mice and CRISPR are Reversing Blindness One small step for science, one furry leap for mousekind. Scientists have found a way to reverse a common mutation that causes blindness in both people and mice using gene editing technology. References: In Mouse Study, Scientists Use Gene Editing to Reverse a Major Cause of Blindness | US News Credits: Children's Songs by Guy Lombardo and his Royal Cana...

How Deleted DNA Reveals the Origins of Humanity In 2007, researchers pitted humans against chimpanzees in a memory test competition. Who was the victor of this mental jungle gym? Phoebe Melvin and Dr. Kaylee Byers delve into Yale University research that reveals what DNA humans share with our primate relatives but, more intriguingly, what sets us apart. References: Mankind’s Missing Puzzle Pieces:...

How an Oddball Bunny Saved Millions of Lives Can a make-believe tale have real-life consequences? Perhaps a 1930s legend from a snowy town in Wyoming illustrates signals just how the strange things found in nature can become life-saving treatments. References: Are jackalopes real? | Live Science New Research Shows the HPV Cancer Vaccine Saves Lives | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Credits:...

Meet the Magic of Mushrooms on Colour Blindness Roughly 300 million people have a colour vision deficiency. But with a few mushrooms and some magic, those who experience colourblindness might be able to see a whole range of colors for the first time. References: Magic Mushrooms seem to have a strange effect on color blindness | Science Alert Ishihara test: Color Blind Test | Colormax What is LSD |...

Indigenous Environmental Stewardship Description: The Indigenous peoples of what’s now known as Western Canada had a relationship of reciprocity with the land. But when explorers from Europe arrived eager to tame the land and absorb its vast natural resources these two world views came to a head. And caught in between an iconic species of the Pacific Northwest—the Gary Oak—has become threatened. S...

Challenging our assumptions about pain When Jackie Gonzalez was just young, doctors assumed that she was pining for attention when she restlessly tried to rub her feet and describing that she was in constant pain. It wasn’t until she was a teenager that doctors and scientists diagnosed her with Erythromelalgia, also known as ‘Man on Fire Syndrome’. It's a rare condition, and even rarer for people...

Challenging our assumptions about sleep Sleep is essential to our lives, but our perception of how it functions in our non-waking life is not always well understood. So in the mires of our busy daily lives do we overlook sleep by seeing it as a means of refilling our energy for a productive day? By questioning this assumption, one term rolls from out of the haze: The ‘Circadian Rhythm’. Dr. Kaylee...

Challenging our assumptions on toxins What’s more terrifying than the true life tales of bloodcurdling and breathstopping toxins? This Hallows' Eve we're taking a page from the history books to make sense of puzzling poisons of our past and present. Dr. Kaylee Byers speaks with Toxicologist Dr. Kimberly Garrett as they connect the dots across the globe of some of the most notorious and subtle pois...

Challenging our assumptions around fatness ShantaQuilette Carter was in her late 30’s when she had her first stroke. It felt like death was lurking over her shoulder. But when her doctor suggests fending it off by using a drug she had never heard of before, a boatload of questions come to the surface. Dr. Kaylee Byers sits down with experts to challenge the everyday assumptions we make about our h...

Questioning persistent myths about same-sex behaviour in nature Can we predict who we love from our genetics alone? For LGBT History Month in October, Dr. Kaylee Byers is joined by co-host Dr. Julia Monk to look at what our genes teach us about diverse forms of sexuality and identity. Starting by witnessing a pair of male penguins cozying up, our hosts join flippers to unearth research from natura...

Challenging assumptions around food security Is the world running out of bananas? Well, no. Not…yet — but nature is flashing a big, yellow, squishy "caution" sign. In this episode, Dr. Kaylee Byers peels away our assumptions about food security by looking at bananas. Venturing Down Under, we connect with Dr. James Dale from Queensland University of Technology – a bona fide banana expert, who tells...

Cross-examining the origins of our base pairs One of our most foundational assumptions is that ‘Our DNA is our own.’ But what if our DNA is stolen? There's a puzzling phenomenon called 'horizontal gene transfer' in which one organisms' genetics jumps to another. Dr. Kaylee Byers is joined by invertebrate specialists Dr. Anna Klompen from the Stowers Institute, and Dr. Jessica Goodheart, a marine b...

What did your grade four teacher say? "Never Assume. It makes an..." well, you know the rest. We all fall into the trap of our own assumptions from time to time. But in the weird and wonderful world of science, assumptions can misguide research madly off in all directions. That's why challenging assumptions is so important! Join host Dr. Kaylee Byers and the Nice Genes! podcast team on a journey t...

How a Reptilian 'Virgin Birth' Baffled Scientists Dr. Kaylee Byers and Producer Phoebe Melvin share one lonely crocodile's story that surprised scientists and sheds light on their distant relatives that once wandered the earth.  Resources: 'Virgin Birth' recorded in Crocodile for 1st time ever | Live Science Monsieur Crocodile - Les 5 Pères | Austin Foundation Crocodile Tears - Eddy Howard an...

Welcome to our first Gene Shorts Episode! It's the trademark storytelling you love in Nice Genes! but bite sized. In this episode Dr. Kaylee Byers speaks with Producer Phoebe Melvin about a potentially life saving discovery lurking in the damp depths of brown bear caves.