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Intelligence Squared · 2026-08-29 · 40 min · 6,565 words

The Secret History in Our DNA: Adam Rutherford Meets David Olusoga (Part One)

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Welcome to Intelligence Squared, where great minds meet. I'm senior producer Mia Sarenti. What can our DNA tell us about who we are, where we came from and the histories that we share? Today's episode is part one of our recent live event with science broadcaster and author Adam Rutherford and award winning historian David Orchoger. Brotherford and Olive Shoger joined us to discuss how genetics can transform our understanding of human history.

Marking the 10th anniversary of Rutherford's A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived, they explore what a decade of discoveries in genetics has revealed about our ancestors. From the Neanderthals and the Plague to race, ancestry, and the legacy of the Human Genome Project, they examine what our genes can tell us about the past, and challenge some of the myths that we still tell about human difference. A content warning before we begin. This conversation contains some mature language. Let's join the discussion now live at Union Chapel.

Thank you. Ah, what a lovely welcome. Uh welcome to Union Chapel and to this special event with Dr. Adam Rutherford, exploring the history of our DNA. So an introduction.

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