Environmental Influences on Genetics

The video discusses the impact of environmental factors on health, challenging the traditional view of genetic determinism by introducing epigenetics. It explains how epigenetic changes can lead to disease and how these changes can be passed down through generations. The speaker, Michael Skinner, highlights the controversy surrounding these ideas but emphasizes their importance in understanding disease development.

What are some environmental factors mentioned that can influence disease development?

• Sunlight exposure

• Exercise and diet

• Water, food, and air

• Genetic mutations

What does the concept of genetic determinism suggest?

• Your DNA is the only factor in determining your destiny

• Your lifestyle choices are the main determinants of health

• Your environment solely determines your health

• Your DNA has no impact on your health

What is epigenetics primarily concerned with?

• The structure of proteins

• The sequence of DNA

• The process of cell division

• The elements surrounding DNA that control its function

What did the research on rats reveal about environmental contaminants?

• They can increase disease frequency and affect future generations

• They improve health in future generations

• They only affect the immediate generation

• They have no effect on future generations

How can your great-grandmother's exposure to environmental factors affect you?

• It has no effect on you

• It only affects your children

• It can influence the diseases you might develop

• It only affects your parents

Why is the research on epigenetics considered controversial?

• It supports the traditional genetic paradigm

• It challenges the established genetic determinism

• It has no scientific basis

• It is widely accepted without question

What is one of the mottos mentioned by the researcher regarding controversial research?

• Controversy is irrelevant to scientific progress

• Controversy should be avoided at all costs

• If it's not controversial, it's not important

• Controversy is a sign of failure

What is the significance of challenging established paradigms in science?

• It fosters innovation and important discoveries

• It leads to confusion and misinformation

• It is unnecessary and unproductive

• It only benefits a small group of scientists