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Sperm carry half the genes needed for human life. In this hour of Radiolab, some basic questions and profound thoughts about reproduction.
Duration
1h 1m
Broadcast on
01 Dec 2008
Audio Format
other

Sperm carry half the genes needed for human life. In this hour of Radiolab, some basic questions and profound thoughts about reproduction.


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3D Lab is supported by AT&T. We all love to connect via video calls or texts. Right now at AT&T, you can get the new iPhone 18 Pro for $0 with iPhone trade-in, any condition. It has the ultimate pro camera system and big leap in battery life so you can turn this deal into a long lasting connection. Learn how you can trade in your iPhone for the new iPhone 18 Pro requires trade-in of iPhone 14 or higher, excluding iPhone 16E, an eligible plan. Terms and restrictions apply, subject to change, visit an AT&T store for details. You're listening to Radio Lab from public radio... W-N-Y-C-E-N-P-R. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Today, I want to start the show by telling you about a guy with a very, very, very important man. Probably one of the most important guys in... Guidam. Yeah. Okay, tell me the correct pronunciation on... Li... I'm not Dutch. Li... Leo... Leo can hook him? The way that you should say it is something like Levenhoek. And here, thankfully, to help with our pronunciation and to fill in the details is Professor Matthew Cobb. The program director for Zoology at the University of Manchester. Levenhoek. And I've written a book about this called Generation, the 17th Century Scientist who unraveled the secrets of sex, life and growth. Okay, so Levenhoek. Yeah, that's fine. Okay. So what did he do? He was a draper. A draper? Yeah, so he just sold cloth. Oh. He... He had no scientific training whatsoever. He was interested in microscopes. Why would a draper be interested in microscopes? It was this hobby. It's what he did. He made these microscopes. And he was actually really good. That's right. Although you have to keep in mind that microscopes at that point in time, talk in 1670s here,

Transcription truncated.

Sperm carry half the genes needed for human life. In this hour of Radiolab, some basic questions and profound thoughts about reproduction.