Lex Fridman Podcast #113 – Manolis Kellis: Human Genome and Evolutionary Dynamics
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Jul 31, 2020 
Manolis Kellis, a professor at MIT and head of the MIT Computational Biology Group, dives deep into the intricacies of the human genome and evolutionary dynamics. He discusses the relationship between our genetics and free will, challenging conventional notions of determinism. The conversation takes a turn into viral evolution, examining how SARS-CoV adaptations intersect with human health. Additionally, Kellis explores the role of technology in enhancing human perception and the philosophical implications of language, meaning, and existence.
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Evolutionary Signatures
- Genome-wide evolutionary signatures reveal how genomes evolve by aligning matching regions across species.
- Comparing species like humans, mice, and dogs reveals conserved mammalian elements, illuminating non-coding DNA functions.
Gene Evolution Speed
- Evolutionary signatures reveal the speed of gene evolution within a genome.
- In SARS-CoV-2, the S1 spike protein evolves rapidly, suggesting adaptation to different hosts, while other genes like polymerase evolve slowly.
Virus Evolution
- Viruses are not inherently intelligent or malicious, but products of blind mutation and ruthless selection.
- Evolution drives them to optimize for spreading without killing the host, as a dead host limits further transmission.