Cracking the Code: The Continuing Saga of Genetics

As the theme song of the excellent nine-volume series Cracking the Code: The Continuing Saga of Genetics says, “Hidden in your DNA/Is your genetic dossier.” Each program explores a particular concept using animation and other graphics, creative examples, original music, humor, and a clear, articulate script that goes a long way towards demystifying subject matter that can be confusing and dense. The first episode, Peas in a Pod, covers the history of genetic inquiry, beginning with some wild theories proposed by Aristotle and his peers in ancient Greece, followed by discussions of the work of Linnaeus, Koelreuter, and Darwin, although the bulk of the program is naturally devoted to the life and work of Gregor Mendel, whose groundbreaking theories of heredity laid the foundation for the study of genetics. Relevant vocabulary words and phrases, such as “phenotype,” “heterozygous,” and “random segregation,” are helpfully highlighted onscreen, while the accompanying curriculum is both thorough and effective in promoting critical thinking. The other titles (available individually for $99 each) in the series are: Microscopes and Mutants, The DNA Obsession, The Gene Machine, Some New Tricks With DNA, Reading the Book of Life, Understanding the Book of Life, The Seeds of a New Era, and The Seeds of a Controversy. Both educational and entertaining, this is highly recommended. Aud: J, P. (E. Gieschen)