Nice Genes!

Houston, we have… a microbe? A mysterious bacterial species has shown up aboard China’s Tiangong Space Station, and Dr. Kaylee Byers and Sarah Lando are hopping into the Nice Genes! mothership to investigate. Where did this intriguing new organism come from? Did it evolve in orbit? And what does it mean for the future of space travel?Click here for tickets and more information about the Nice Genes! Live podcast event on Tuesday December 2nd, 2025.Resources1. New Bacteria Have Been Discovered on a Chinese Space Station - WIRED2. New space-adapted bacteria discovered on China’s space station - CBC3. Unknown strain of bacteria found on China's Tiangong Space Station - Live Science4. Niallia tiangongensis sp. nov., isolated from the China Space Station - International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Biology 

German cockroaches are notorious for making themselves at home in our kitchens and bathrooms, but how did they become such persistent pests? Dr. Kaylee Byers and Sarah Lando explore the fascinating genomics behind this unwanted guest—and why we’re partly to blame.Resources:1.Solving the 250-year-old mystery of the origin and global spread of the German cockroach, Blattella germanica – PNAS2. The world's most common cockroach is 'a monster of our own creation,' study finds - CBC3. German Cockroach – Rutgers4. Prevalence of Cockroaches, Bed Bugs, and House Mice in Low-Income Housing and Evaluation of Baits for Monitoring House Mouse Infestations – Journal of Medical Entomology

The Importance of BiodiversityDescription:This episode was originally released on October 31, 2022Conservation is often about protecting the species that still wander around our Earth. But what about those that once did but have gone extinct? In this Halloween-inspired episode, we take a look into how one spooky idea has gone from science fiction to science fact, de-extinction style.Dr. Kaylee Byers takes us to the upside-down world of wild animals in Australia. She sits down with Dr. Axel Newton whose research addresses how to resurrect a species that has been extinct for nearly a century. Also joining her is Dr. Carolyn Hogg who uses the latest genomic technology to understand the impacts of reintroducing endangered species into their native habitats. In this wacky tale of resurrection and 'devils' will the spirit of scientific discovery mean incredible changes for the future, or is a line being crossed that we can't come back from?References:1. Lab takes 'giant leap' toward thylacine de-extinction with Colossal genetic engineering technology partnership | The University of Melbourne2. Thylacine Integrated Genomic Restoration Research Lab (TIGRR Lab) | The University of Melbourne3. Thylacine: How we plan to de-extinct the Tasmanian tiger | Colossal Laboratories and Biosciences4. Extinction of thylacine | National Museum Australia5. A year after Australia's wildfires, extinction threatens hundreds of species | Science News6. Rewilding returns lost species to strengthen ecosystems | Science News7. Park Conscious | U.S. Dept. of Agriculture8. Endangered Tasmanian devils insured against future threats | The University of Sydney9. The 9 Steps to De-Extincting Australia's Thylacine | The University of Melbourne10. The Value of Reference Genomes in the Conservation of Threatened Species | Marsupial Genetics and Genomics11. Assessing evolutionary processes over time in a conservation breeding program: a combined approach using molecular data, simulations and pedigree analysis | Biodiversity and Conservation

Mutton was one of the last of the Salish Woolly Dogs– a breed raised by Indigenous Coast Salish communities before colonization led to its disappearance. Sarah Lando and Dr. Kaylee Byers delve into how genome sequencing is helping uncover the Woolly Dog’s legacy—and could even lead to its revival.Resources:1. The history of Coast Salish “woolly dogs” revealed by ancient genomics and Indigenous Knowledge – Science2. Salish Woolly Dog – The Canadian Encyclopedia3. Extinct Woolly Dog was carefully bred for weaving, ancient DNA confirms – Washington Post4. Extinct Woolly Dog Analyzed in Collaborative Study with Coast Salish Co-authors – American Museum of Natural History

This episode was originally released on September 19, 2023Is 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 us exactly why this iconic yellow fruit could one day become a rarity. But, with the help of a clever genomic idea, he and his intrepid team of Aussie researchers and farmers are looking at how to hit "abort" on complete Bananageddon.Special thanks to Mark Smith with Darwin Fruit Farm Party Limited for providing field recordings for this episode.References:Why Don’t Banana Candies Taste Like Real Bananas? | Science FridayWhat We Can Learn From the Near-Death of the Banana | TIMEBanana Wars: Power, Production, and History in the Americas | Duke University PressChinese coolies | National Library BoardThe Story of the Cavendish Banana | Tenerife WeeklyNot your mother’s banana | BananageddonFungal attacks threaten global food supply, say experts | The GuardianThe banana is dying. The race is on to reinvent it before it's too late | WiredQUT-developed GM Cavendish offers safety net to world banana industry | Queensland University of TechnologyCredit:Journey to Banana Land: By the United Fruit Company (1950) | Institute of Visual TrainingAg Report: Fighting rural farm crime; banana disease; and ag grant award | ABC News

The food supplement industry rakes in billions of dollars every year. So with so much money being spent on things like vitamins, they must be worth it, right? Right?! Dr. Kaylee Byers and Sarah Lando give you the down low on what’s good for you– and what’s just good for business.Resources:1. Is There Really Any Benefit to Multivitamins? – Hopkins Medicine2. Daily multivitamins do not help people live longer, major study finds – The Guardian3. Multivitamin Use and Mortality Risk in 3 Prospective US Cohorts – JAMA4. Do You Need to Take Magnesium Supplements? – The New York Times5. Role of Beta-Carotene in Lung Cancer Primary Chemoprevention: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression – National Institute of Health6. Dietary Supplements Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Ingredient (Vitamins, Minerals, Probiotics), By Form (Capsules, Gummies, Liquids), By End User, By Application, By Type, By Distribution Channel, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2024 - 2030 – Grandview Research

This episode was originally released on November 14, 2023Sleep 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 Byers speaks with Dr. Hiroki Ueda from the University of Tokyo in the Faculty of Medicine on demystifying the links between our sleep and genomics. Then neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Coogan shares the connection between sleep and ADHD. Finally, we hear from Dr. Ueda and Dr. Hiroshi Ono, from Hitotsubashi University Business School, on how their homeland of Japan is reckoning with an off-balance relationship with sleep and work.References:Molecular Mechanisms of REM Sleep | NeurosciThe ability to dream may be genetic | Canadian Broadcast Corporation (CBC)Next-Generation Mice Genetics for Circadian Studies | NeuromethodsEvolution of temporal order in living organisms | Journal of Circadian RhythmsLearn about the bunker experiment to understand the human biological clock | BritannicaGenetic sleep deprivation: using sleep mutants to study sleep functions | EMBO reportsCircadian rhythms and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: The what, the when and the why | Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol PsychiatryInsomnia: Definition, Prevalence, Etiology, and Consequences | Journal of Clinical Sleep MedicineNo Sleep for Japan? Survey Reveals Half of Population May Have Insomnia | Nippon.comWhy Sleep Matters: Quantifying the Economic Costs of Insufficient Sleep | Rand CorporationJapan has some of the longest working hours in the world. It’s trying to change | CNBCAnnouncement of the establishment of the nonpartisan "Parliamentary League to Promote Initiatives for People's Quality Sleep" | Sleeping Council FederationFounder/Director CTO Yasumi Ueda gave a speech at the inaugural general meeting of the nonpartisan "Parliamentary League to Promote Initiatives for People's Quality Sleep" | ACCELStarsFree-running circadian activity rhythms in free-living beaver (Castor canadensis) | Journal of Comparative PhysiologyCredits:Dr. Rackeb TesdayeCurbing death by overwork | Financial TimesWhy does Japan Work So Hard? | CNBC ExplainsWorked to Death: Japan questions high-pressure corporate culture | France 24 EnglishInside Japan’s growing ‘lonely death’ clean-up service | CNN InternationalHow can governments help stop overwork? | The Question | CBC News: The National

We’ve all been there— tempted by the irresistible smell of hot, melty cheese. So what is it about this perfect blend of milk and microbes that keeps us coming back for more? What does cheese do to our brain? Dr. Kaylee Byers and Sarah Lando slice through the science. Resources:1. Is cheese actually addictive? Here's the real science – Salon2. Which Foods May Be Addictive? The Roles of Processing, Fat Content, and Glycemic Load – PLOS ONE3. Cheese really is crack. Study reveals cheese is as addictive as drugs – LA Times4. Science Says Cheese is Basically Cocaine – GQ5. Divergent effects of central melanocortin signalling on fat and sucrose preference in humans – Nature6. Your Genes May Influence What You Like to Eat – Scientific American

This episode was originally released on August 16, 2022In 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 forensic genomic science.But while looking for leads, Dr. Byers spots a bright red thread pointing her to questions about how our genomics are being accessed by law enforcement. How can genomics bring justice to unsolved mysteries? And at what cost are we willing to pay to find answers?Genetic Genealogist, Cece Moore, from ABC’s Prime time series The Genetic Detective helps connect the dots. And partnering with us to get to the bottom of one of Canada’s oldest mysteries is true crime author and podcaster Eve Lazarus from Cold Case Canada.References:Eve Lazarus, Author and PodcasterMurder, Mystery and Intrigue in Review: Babes in the WoodsCece Moore - the DNA DetectiveHow Your Family Tree Could Catch a Killer - The New YorkerGenetics, Law enforcement and crime - Personal Genetics Education ProjectKiller Eludes Police for 31 years - how did one woman find him in two hours? - cbsnewsSeattle man's conviction for 1987 murders of B.C.'s Tanya van Cuylenborg and Jay Cook overturned - CBCThe National DNA Data Bank - The B.C. Civil Liberties AssociationFor nearly 70 years, these 2 murdered boys were known as the 'Babes in the Woods.' Now they finally have names - CBCMaryland V. King - 2013 Supreme Court decision on Maryland DNA Collection ActSupreme Court Upholds Warrantless Collection Of DNA - NPRHow DNA can reunite families - Endeavor DNA Laboratories

Rapid Evolution in the Modern AgeEvolution 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 Bat Whisperer. Join Dr. Kaylee Byers and Dr. Cecelia Sánchez as they team up to explore the marvels of rapid evolution– from bats in the Solomon Islands, to modern dating. We’ll meet cave explorer and mammal detective Dr. Tyrone Lavery along with paleontologist and evolutionary biologist Dr. Nick Longrich to unlock predictions for the future, by looking into the past.With unprecedented access to genomic information, we can now remix evolution like never before. But just because we can, does it mean we should?Learn-a-Long: https://bit.ly/4jgbFI2Highlights(5:57) Into the bat cave: tracking evolution in the Solomon Islands with Dr. Lavery(11:18) The peppered moth survival story(20:18) Dr. Longrich explains how humans are evolving in the modern age–Resources:1. Charles Darwin: History’s most famous biologist - Natural History Museum2. Bat Beauty Contest: Vote Now To Crown The Best-Looking Bat Of Them All - Forbes3. Parallel evolution in an island archipelago revealed by genomic sequencing of Hipposideros leaf-nosed bats - Oxford Academic4. Bats Are Going Through a Rare Evolutionary Phenomenon - Newsweek5. The Peppered Moth - Age of Revolution6. A continuous fish fossil record reveals key insights into adaptive radiation - Nature7. Study of 17,000 years of fish fossils reveals rapid evolution - Science.org8. How long does evolution take? It happens on two different timescales- New Scientist9. Future evolution: from looks to brains and personality, how will humans change in the next 10,000 years? - The Conversation10. Ancient Urbanization Predicts Genetic Resistance To Tuberculosis - Oxford Academic