This Week in Evolution

TWiEVO 126: Beyond Inheritance with Roxanne Khamsi June 1, 2026 Science journalist Roxanne Khamsi joins Nels and Vincent discuss her first book,  Beyond Inheritance , which explores how DNA continuously mutates throughout our lives, challenging the idea that our genetic destiny is fixed at birth. Hosts:  Nels Elde  and  Vincent Racaniello Guest:  Roxanne Khamsi Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts , ...

Nels and Vincent discuss the development of a comprehensive transcriptomic atlas of early embryogenesis from 61 animal species to understand the control of gene expression transitions from maternally deposited products to newly transcribed zygotic RNA. Hosts:  Nels Elde  and  Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a patron  of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join...

Nels and Vincent discuss the discovery of a short RNA with the ability to catalyze its own synthesis. 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 A small  polymerase ribozyme  (Science) Timestamps by  Jolene Science Picks Nels  –  The University of Illinois Just Rele...

Nels and Vincent explain how stinkbug females smear fungus on their eggs to protect them from wasp parasitism. 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 Defensive fungal symbiosis  on insect hindlegs (Science) Timestamps by  Jolene Science Picks Nels  –  Meet the O...

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 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  – ...

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 Pi...

Nels and Vincent explain research attempting to explain why among humans, females around the world live on average 5 years longer than males, but the trend is reversed in many birds, amphibians, and insects. 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 Sexual selectio...

Nels and Vincent discuss research which shows a shift from the rule that living organisms produce same-species offspring: an ant that produces individuals from two distinct species. 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 David Baltimore interview ( TWiV 100 ) On...

Nels and Vincent discuss research on hidden evolutionary constraints that dictate the retention of coronavirus accessory gene, which was flagged by NIH as potentially dangerous gain-of-function research. 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 Hidden evolutionary...

Nels and Vincent review research on how neuropeptides influence the behavior of leafcutter ants, and regulate the different caste behaviors such as defenders, leaf foragers, brood care, and fungus farming. 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 Neuropeptides and...

Nels and Vincent discuss an ultra reduced archaeal genome, the closest cellular entity to date that approaches a viral strategy of existence. 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 Ultra-reduced  archaeal genome  (bioRxiv) Timestamps by  Jolene Science Picks Nel...

Nels and Vincent review the properties of Mendel's pea genes through the lens of modern genetic analysis. 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 Insights into  Mendel's pea genes  (Nature) Timestamps by  Jolene Science Picks Nels  –  Evolution related game Vince...

Nels and Vincent explain the ancestry and evolution of the extinct dire wolf. 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 and ancestry of  dire wolf  (bioRxiv) Timestamps by  Jolene Science Picks Nels  –  Navigating to the forefront of innovation: A celebra...

Nels and Vincent explain the ancient evolutionary origin of sex in cephalopods. 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  sex in cephalopods  (Current Biol) Timestamps by  Jolene Science Picks Nels  –   Speaking into a microphone? Your audio quality c...

Nels and Vincent explain how template switching during DNA replication is a widespread source of adaptive gene amplification. 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 Template switching  and gene amplification (eLife) Timestamps by  Jolene Science Picks Nels  –  ...

Nels and Vincent reveal that worker ants amputate their colleagues injured leg to prevent infections. 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 Wound-dependent  leg amputation  in ants (Curr Biol) Timestamps by  Jolene Science Picks Nels  –   The Science Bridge Vin...

Nels and Vincent discuss the molecular and genetic origins of sex-linked orange coat color in cats. 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 Orange coat color  in cats (bioRxiv) Timestamps by  Jolene Science Picks Nels  –  AI takes up science podcasting Vincent  –...

Nels and Vincent review the identification of a novel virus associated with the pathogen  Plasmodium knowlsei  and which is part part of a diverse and unclassified viral taxon. 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 Virus associated with   P. knowlsei  (bioRxiv...

Nels and Vincent discuss the origins of eukaryotes, with contributions from at least 3 bacteria (alphaproteobacteria) and a large contribution from DNA viruses with large genomes. 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 Complex symbiotic interactions  during euk...

Nels and Vincent explain how homology searches of anti-phage systems in eukaryotic genomes can be used to discover proteins of the human immune system. 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 Human antiviral effectors  from antiphage systems (Cell Host Micro) Ti...

Nels and Vincent look at how plant prickles, sharp epidermal projections that provide defense from predators and other advantages, arose by convergent evolution, the emergence of analogous traits in distantly related species. Hosts:  Nels Elde  and  Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free):  Apple Podcasts ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a patron  of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join the  Mi...

Nels and Vincent discuss the genome sequence of an ancient wooly mammoth, which shows that the three-dimensional architecture of the DNA can persist after 50,000 years. Hosts:  Nels Elde  and  Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free):  Apple Podcasts ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a patron  of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join the  MicrobeTV Discord server Three dimensional architecture of ...

Nels and Vincent explore a direct experimental test of Ohno's Hypothesis, which states that gene duplication can help genes tolerate new mutations and thus facilitates the evolution of new phenotypes. Hosts:  Nels Elde  and  Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free):  Apple Podcasts ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a patron  of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join the  MicrobeTV Discord server Di...

Nels and Vincent explain how deep genomics of macroalgae illuminate multiple paths to aquatic, photosynthetic multicellularity. Hosts:  Nels Elde  and  Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free):  Apple Podcasts ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a patron  of TWiEVO Links for this episode Join the  MicrobeTV Discord server Paths to aquatic,  photosynthetic multicellularity  (Mol Plant) Timestamps...