Science Quickly Mary Roach on the Science of Swapping Human Parts
7 snips
Sep 24, 2025 
Mary Roach, a popular science writer and author of *Replaceable You*, joins the conversation to discuss the fascinating pursuit of swapping and regrowing human body parts. She explains the disparity between rapid scientific advancements like CRISPR and the slow pace of bringing those innovations to clinical practice. Roach also delves into the intriguing history of nasal reconstruction and contemporary challenges in stem-cell therapies. Furthermore, she highlights the potential of AI to accelerate research despite ongoing funding issues in the medical field.
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Book Sparked By An Amputee's Question
- Mary Roach was inspired when an elective amputee asked why someone wouldn't cut off her underperforming foot to get a prosthetic.
- That question sparked Roach's exploration of why people seek replacement parts and how medicine approaches them.
Fast Science, Slow Delivery
- The field of replacing body parts advances rapidly in discovery but moves slowly through clinical translation.
- New tools like CRISPR speed discoveries yet regulatory, trial, and payer hurdles mean long delays to real treatments.
Ancient Nose Reconstruction
- Nose reconstruction dates back millennia with forehead or cheek flaps used in ancient surgery to rebuild noses.
- This long history shows surgeons tackled visible, socially important injuries early on and developed practical techniques.
