STEMcast Episode 34 | A Lesson in Science History: The Discovery vs. The Discoverer with Prof. Matthew Cobb

Welcome to the Beyond the Lab series of STEMcast! This week, we are joined by Matthew Cobb, Professor of zoology (Professor Emeritus) at the University of Manchester, historian and author. From the discovery of the double helix to the 1975 Asilomar conference on recombinant DNA, we explore various historical events that shaped public perception of the life sciences and talk about how the history of science can help explain disruptive technologies. Through these discussions, Prof. Cobb draws our attention both to the scientist(s) that made the discovery and to the discovery that made the scientist(s). Is there more to the connection that binds the two?Note: Many readings and resources were mentioned during this episode. Please find links to all of them below.In this episode we cover:(01:11) Origin of Prof. Cobb’s research interests(07:29) A Second Hat: Prof. Cobb as a Historian(11:38) Public opinion shaping life sciences discoveries and vice-versa(14:44) Using history to communicate disruptive technologies(21:58) How a scientific background positions you as a historian: His experience with Rosalind Franklin Archives(25:37) Tug-of-war between scientific advancement and ethical concerns(30:22) Protecting ethical science in a publish or perish culture(34:41) Using history to communicate the importance of foundational advances: The Story on PCR and CRISPR(37:39) The discovery versus the individual who discovered: Watson Crick and the discovery of the double helixFurther reading/listeningRead more about Prof. Matthew CobbListen to Prof. Cobb’s 2024 Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar Prize LectureView annotated copies of Rosalind Franklin’s DNA notebooksExtended show notesBooks mentioned:The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA (James Watson)The Astonishing Hypothesis: The Scientific Search for the Soul (Francis Crick)As Gods: A Moral History of the Genetic Age ((Matthew Cobb)Crick: A Mind in Motion (Matthew Cobb)Episode host and producer : Sabrina DuContact: [email protected]