Episode 76: Evolution’s Child (1999)

Today we’re reviewing Evolution’s Child (1999), a made-for-TV movie in which a woman is accidentally impregnated by sperm from an Ötzi-inspired ice mummy, and ultimately gives birth to a child with magical bronze age powers—and one fatal weakness. We talk ancient diseases, DNA contamination, and genetic memory, and Ross reassures us that this probably won’t happen at your local IVF clinic. Win some SotSA Merch! Send your mistakes, inaccuracies, and corrections to us by email or social media: Twitter: @SotSA_Podcast Bluesky: @sotsapodcast.bsky.social Facebook: @SotSAPodcast Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/sotsa/ Email: [email protected] In this episode: Alzheimer’s disease throughout history: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0197-4580(98)00052-9 Origins of sickle cell disease: https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/blood-types/diversity/african-american-blood-donors/history-of-sickle-cell-disease.html Ancient pollution from metallurgy: https://vice.com/en/article/z4m7e4/ancient-metallurgy-suggests-the-anthropocene-started-thousands-of-years-ago Present-day DNA contamination in ancient DNA: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bies.202000081 A woman requested to be impregnated by Ötzi’s sperm: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3418206/ Evolution of lactase persistence: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20230503/What-is-lactase-persistence-and-how-did-it-evolve.aspx Museum of Anthropology, UBC: https://moa.ubc.ca/ Robson Square Steps: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/robson-square-accessibility-1.5255477 Epigenetics: https://www.cdc.gov/genomics/disease/epigenetics.htm “Genetic memory” in mice: https://doi.org/10.1038%2Fnn.3594 Epigenetic effects of famines: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/31/science/dutch-famine-genes.html Geordi is a fucking incel: https://www.reddit.com/r/startrek/comments/9uz83w/remember_the_time_dr_brahms_stumbled_upon_geordis/ Star trek the Next Futurama: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iU09gLXwc_A&list=PLghELjfG88YEGpW22Y5AAZxiihGj3qEPb