unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc 608. Why Imperfection Is Core to Being Human feat. Laurence D. Hurst
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Dec 22, 2025 
Laurence D. Hurst, a Professor of evolutionary genetics at the Milner Centre for Evolution, discusses the fascinating limitations of evolutionary perfection. He reveals why humans are afflicted with genetic disorders and high mutation rates, countering the assumption that evolution leads to optimal adaptations. The conversation dives into how maternal costs and fetal-maternal conflicts impact human health, the role of gene therapy in modern medicine, and the ethical dilemmas surrounding germline editing, emphasizing the importance of embracing our inherent imperfections.
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Childbirth Is Unusually Risky For Humans
- Childbirth historically carried very high maternal mortality for humans compared with close relatives.
- Hurst cites mummy studies and Forbes analysis showing childbirth is uniquely dangerous for humans.
Reproductive Compensation Keeps Lethals Alive
- Early embryonic lethals can persist because mammalian reproductive compensation reallocates resources when embryos die.
- Hurst explains recessive lethal alleles can be maintained since losing an embryo can boost siblings' fitness.
Measure Mutation Rates With Trios
- Use parent-offspring sequencing to directly measure mutation rates across species for evolutionary insights.
- Hurst emphasizes how cheap sequencing revolutionized estimates of mutation and population parameters.
