Premiered April 2020
A historical biography of the human genome.
“The Gene: An Intimate History” brings vividly to life the story of today’s revolution in medical science through present-day tales of patients and doctors at the forefront of the search for genetic treatments, interwoven with a compelling history of the discoveries that made this possible and the ethical challenges raised by the ability to edit DNA with precision.
From
Premiered April 2020
A historical biography of the human genome.
“The Gene: An Intimate History” brings vividly to life the story of today’s revolution in medical science through present-day tales of patients and doctors at the forefront of the search for genetic treatments, interwoven with a compelling history of the discoveries that made this possible and the ethical challenges raised by the ability to edit DNA with precision.
From
The Gene.
Explore Free Resources
Animated Series
The Gene Explained
What the heck is a gene, anyway? This animated series won’t get you a PhD, but it does clear up a few mysteries about how genes work and what they might look like in the future. (Microscope not required.)
Watch NowProviding Support for PBS.org
About the Series
“The Gene: An Intimate History,” a major new documentary from Ken Burns and Barak Goodman coming to PBS in April 2020, tells the story of the stunning revolution in genetics that is transforming medical science through the experience of patients and scientists leading the search for cures to some of the world’s rarest and most complex diseases.
“The Gene: An Intimate History” is a major new four-hour documentary from Ken Burns and Barak Goodman, adapted from the award-winning book of the same name by Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee. The series tells the story of the rapid evolution of genetic science from Gregor Mendel’s groundbreaking experiment in the 19th century to CRISPR, and the hope that newfound powers to alter DNA with pinpoint precision will transform the treatment of some of the world’s most complex and challenging diseases. The series also tackles the daunting ethical challenges that these technologies pose for humankind.
Production Credits
Ken Burns Presents THE GENE: AN INTIMATE HISTORY is a production of Florentine Films and WETA Washington, D.C., in association with Ark Media. Executive Producer and Senior Creative Consultant: Ken Burns. Written by Geoffrey C. Ward; and Barak Goodman & David Blistein. Based on the book The Gene: An Intimate History by Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee. Narrator: David Costabile. Senior Producer: Barak Goodman. Directors: Chris Durrance and Jack Youngelson. Executive Producers: Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee, Dalton Delan, Tom Chiodo, John F. Wilson and Anne Harrington.
Art Credit: Gabriel Orozco, Light Signs #3 (Korea) (1995), Medium: light box, plastic sheet, vinyl decals. Dimensions” 39-3/8 x 39-3/8 x 7-3/4 inches. Collection Walker Art Center, Minneapolis. T. B. Walker Acquisition Fund, 1996.
Support for PBS.org provided by: