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Turi King and Adam Rutherford talk to Dan Davis

Genetics and What it Can Teach Us

Hay Festival 2026, 

What makes us who we are today? Science professors Turi King and Adam Rutherford discuss the fascinating world of DNA and genes with best-selling science writer Professor Dan Davis. The pair share true stories from history, show us how we’re all interconnected, and illuminate who we are and how we came to be.

King’s The Secrets of our DNA: How Genetics has Changed the World is a myth-busting book that examines the world of modern genetics and reveals how DNA is essential to everything from solving crime to keeping food safe and protecting threatened wildlife. King is a scientist, presenter and author who led the genetic analysis for the identification of King Richard III.

Rutherford’s A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived at 10 Years is a look at what our genes now tell us about human history, and what history can now tell us about our genes. Rutherford is a professor of genetics and biosciences, and an author and broadcaster.