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The work of geneticists who have labored for years to map human DNA is the subject of this offbeat yet highly informative documentary from the PBS series Nova. Host Robert Krulwich, a correspondent for ABC Nightline, visits with scientists who explain, in terms understandable to laymen, the enormous challenges faced and overcome by scientists working on the Human Genome Project. The value of the research effort is underscored with visits to families affected by inherited diseases that could someday be eradicated, and even legal matters such as research patents and potential privacy issues are also covered intelligently. The race between government researchers and private biotech firms is detailed, and at appropriate times host Krulwich is able to inject some good-natured humor into this excellent documentary. –Robert J. McNamara

Does it amaze you that yeast is your very close relative? That you possess roughly the same number of genes as a mouse? That you (more…)