Who Do We Think We Aren't: The Science and History of Race
Science and Technology
•
35m
We haven’t always been preoccupied with ideas of race. But from the 19th c onward, bogus science has been used to legitimise social hierarchies and political policies, with consequences that have resounded across the world. From the father of eugenics Francis Galton to surprising figures such as Marie Stopes, an astonishing array of people have mistakenly intertwined genetics with rightful identity. And it is still happening today: identity politics have created a new kind of tribalism, one that relies on eugenics for evidence. Smashing through the myths surrounding ancestry, interrogating eugenic theory and exposing the prejudices and misconceptions that have underpinned so much of our scientific theory has never been more important. In this fascinating documentary Adam Rutherford delivers a masterclass in why our preoccupation with the genetics of race is meaningless for scientists. Drawing on remarkable historical detail and new scientific proof, he shows that the evidence for prejudices and assumptions is almost entirely incorrect, and that the differences between us are only skin deep.
Up Next in Science and Technology
-
Race Science with Angela Saini
Dan sat down with Angela Saini to talk about the history behind race and the history of interactions between civilisations.
-
Parliament's Greatest Speeches
The Palace of Westminster is one of the world's most famous buildings: 'the mother of parliaments'. Since the days of Simon de Montfort parliaments having been meeting at this location in the heart of London. Though plagued by controversy and destruction over its long history the site's significa...
-
Nuclear Armageddon with Julie McDowall
Dan sat down with Julie McDowall to talk about Britain's plans in case of nuclear Armageddon during the Cold War. They also discuss the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl and its infamous legacy.
