Back to Show
Eons
The Genes We Lost Along the Way
Season 3
Episode 36
Our DNA holds thousands of dead genes and we’ve only just begun to unravel their stories. But one thing is already clear: we’re not just defined by the genes that we’ve gained over the course of our evolution, but also by the genes that we’ve lost along the way.
Sign up now for inspiring and thought-provoking media delivered straight to your inbox.
Support Provided By

10:42
Our brains actually shrank relative to our bodies in evolution.

7:23
Hidden in rocks may have animal kingdom’s oldest known predator.

9:26
Hidden in rocks may have animal kingdom’s oldest known predator.

8:09
We explore what we have in common with our ancient cousins.

9:19
We have become the ultimate niche builders.

9:58
Beneath their shell, the crustaceans hold an evolutionary mystery.

7:20
The answer is part of a decades-long debate.

10:04
In Australia, evolution built a family of deadly predators.

7:28
We focus on the DNA we got from our Neanderthals.

7:20
Seahorses are one of the ocean's worst swimmers but their origin story is great.

8:21
In recent years, Archaea's connection to us has been pretty huge and surprising.

8:53
Charles Darwin encountered a tiny fox-like creature during his famous voyage.