#58 Robert Plomin Round 2: Intelligence, Mental Health, Personality and the Future of Designer Babies

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Dr. Robert Plomin is one of the world’s leading behavioural geneticists and the author of Blueprint, a game-changing book that argues your DNA isn’t just important — it’s the blueprint of who you are.

Plomin’s groundbreaking twin studies revealed that nearly every psychological trait — from intelligence and personality to mental illness and addiction — is significantly heritable. Now, he’s at the forefront of a new revolution: polygenic scores that can predict your future from birth… or even before.

Expect to learn how polygenic scores are reshaping psychology and medicine, what your genome can reveal about your intelligence, mental health, and personality, why traditional ideas about nurture are collapsing, the shocking truth about educational inequality, how gene editing and embryo selection are becoming real-world tools, what role companies like Orchid play in designing future generations, why Elon Musk might be building babies in Gattaca labs, and whether free will can survive in a world where your genes know you better than you know yourself.

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Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

3:00 Introduction to Nucleus Genomics and Genetic Testing

9:06 In Vitro Fertilization and Embryo Screening

14:52 The Role of Polygenic Scores in Decision Making

20:47 Screening for Monogenic Disorders

26:49 The Transition from SNP Chips to Whole Genome Sequencing

33:37 The Evolution of Genetic Testing

39:50 Navigating Parental Choices in IVF

45:55 Probabilistic Nature of Genetic Traits

53:54 The Future of Genetic Predictions

1:02:17 Capitalism and Ethical Dilemmas in Gene Editing

1:07:25 Gene Editing: Possibilities and Concerns

1:14:05 CRISPR Babies and Ethical Boundaries

1:22:26 Recreational Drugs and Genetic Insights

1:30:49 Neurodivergence and Genetic Selection

1:36:16 Exploring the Low End of Polygenic Scores

1:41:39 AI's Role in Genetics

1:48:30 Understanding Genetic Risks and Carrier Genes

1:54:32 The Intersection of Genetics and Athleticism

2:04:59 Genetic Diversity and Predictive Power

2:14:50 Understanding Non-Shared Environment

2:22:37 The Impact of Randomness in Life

2:34:40 Concluding Thoughts on Genetics and Environment

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