Best Couch Genes Podcasts (2026)

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ON CRISPR Episode 5: The Conversation 59:01

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3M ago59:01

59:01

In the four years since the book’s publication, CRISPR has revolutionized the world of medical treatments and possibilities. But our world has changed drastically, too. As AI’s impact grows, U.S scientists are facing funding cuts like never before. For our final episode, we bring you a live conversation between Walter Isaacson and Jennifer Doudna a…

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ON CRISPR Episode 4: Franken Monsters 36:47

3M ago36:47

36:47

As the gene editing field kept growing, so did the dangers. Back in 2018, Jennifer Doudna received an email from a Chinese scientist claiming that he had genetically edited two twin babies. The news reverberated across the world and made Doudna and her colleagues urgently consider the implications of what their discovery could mean for humanity. Wa…

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ON CRISPR Episode 3: Patent Wars 27:19

3M ago27:19

27:19

Jennifer Doudna thought she had won the race. She thought she had beaten out all scientific competitors when she and her co-author had shocked the world with their groundbreaking technology for gene editing. But turned out, the race had just gotten fiercer. Walter Isaacson sits down with Evan to talk about how one of the most cutthroat scientific c…

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ON CRISPR Episode 2: The Discovery 30:50

4M ago30:50

30:50

Back in the 1990s, a young microbiologist in Alicante, Spain became obsessed with a strange pattern he observed in the genes of tiny organisms — a series of inexplicable clusters. And he wasn’t alone. All around the world, a network of scientists were growing curious as to what these genetic knots could be and all of their potential functions. Thei…

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ON CRISPR Episode 1: Beginnings 26:29

4M ago26:29

26:29

Earlier this year, when the world learned the news of baby KJ successfully undergoing the first personalized genetic treatment, it represented a milestone for researchers and patients. But behind this scientific feat there’s the story of the technology that made it possible, CRISPR, and one of the key pioneers behind it — Jennifer Doudna. Evan sits…

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ON CRISPR: The Story of Jennifer Doudna with Walter Isaacson 3:27

4M ago3:27

3:27

Walter Isaacson - bestselling biographer behind Musk, Einstein and Steve Jobs - in conversation with Evan Ratliff brings you behind the scenes of The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race. The story of the third great technological revolution in modern times. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio…

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ON BENJAMIN FRANKLIN Episode 5: Legacy 35:46

1y ago35:46

35:46

In this final episode of our series, host Evan Ratliff and biographer Walter Isaacson discuss Benjamin Franklin's remarkable late-in-life achievements-- from his last anonymous essay, to the way he empowered George Washington, to his evolution on slavery, to the beautiful way Philadelphia mourned its favorite son... oh, and they discuss Ben Frankli…

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ON BENJAMIN FRANKLIN Episode 4: The Statesman 37:46

1+ y ago37:46

37:46

After retiring at the age of 42, Ben Franklin immersed himself in politics, taking on enormous diplomatic challenges on behalf of Pennsylvania and the colonies. In this episode, we dive into Franklin the talented statesman-- a man who emerged from his mission in England with a taste for revenge, charmed the French into supporting a burgeoning natio…

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ON BENJAMIN FRANKLIN Episode 3: Industry 29:10

1+ y ago29:10

29:10

Few people remember that Benjamin Franklin was America’s wealthiest self-made man. After being denied a formal education and then indentured to his own brother, he launched America's first media empire. But while Franklin could be a ruthless businessman, he was out for more than himself—he knew his success was predicated on a strong middle class, a…

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ON BENJAMIN FRANKLIN Episode 2: The Great American Character 32:33

1+ y ago32:33

32:33

From writing under pen names in the newspaper as a teenager, to the Poor Richard maxims we all know, to the autobiography he created to show the path toward American virtues, Ben Franklin literally wrote the books on what it means to be American. But how close was the real Ben Franklin to the character he created? See omnystudio.com/listener for pr…

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ON BENJAMIN FRANKLIN Episode 1: Ingenuity 27:55

1+ y ago27:55

27:55

From Walter Isaacson– the bestselling biographer behind Musk, Einstein and Steve Jobs– and journalist Evan Ratliff (Shell Games, Longform) comes a revealing look into the life of Ben Franklin, and how his genius shaped America. In this first episode of five, we dive into the way Franklin's scientific curiosity laid the groundwork for his approach t…

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Introducing Season 2: ON Benjamin Franklin with Walter Isaacson 2:48

1+ y ago2:48

2:48

Introducing ON Benjamin Franklin with Walter Isaacson - an intimate behind the scenes interview to understand Benjamin Franklin’s remarkable life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts and Kaleidoscope

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ON Musk Episode Four: What is Musk’s Legacy? 43:24

2y ago43:24

43:24

Which of Musk’s efforts will mark his legacy? Will it be Starship and his work bringing Americans back into orbit, or will it be X and his amplifications of the worst of humanity? Isaacson wrestles with his time in Silicon Valley, and relays a comparison of Jobs and Musk that’s sure to stay with you. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informat…

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ON Musk Episode Three: Storytelling and Hot Takes 44:40

2y ago44:40

44:40

Be a storyteller, not a preacher. That was novelist Walker Percy’s legendary advice to a young Walter Isaacson. One he takes to heart in his work as a journalist at Time and CNN, and as a biographer of creative genius across the centuries—and in trying to capture someone as volatile as Elon Musk. He reflects on the challenges of holding the complex…

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ON Musk Episode Two: Demons 42:54

2y ago42:54

42:54

What kind of titan of industry has a "giddy mode"? Or a "demon mode"? The two aspects of Musk’s personality are forces that drive his choices and behavior at work—and vectors Isaacson finds critical to understanding how Musk operates. From ripping out servers on Christmas Eve on a whim to buying Twitter against better wisdom, and reaming out staff …

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ON Musk Episode One: Genius 31:45

2y ago31:45

31:45

Space travel, electric vehicles, future-powering batteries—the ability to push technology forward and to bring it into the world in a real way is without a doubt the best of Elon Musk. In his 600 page biography, Walter Isaacson chronicles a man with superlative engineering skills, but who “doesn’t have a fingertip feel for social emotional networks…

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Introducing: On Musk with Walter Isaacson 3:23

2y ago3:23

3:23

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts and Kaleidoscope

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Zach- And His New Dad 24:49

3+ y ago24:49

24:49

Zach did not have a good relationship with his father. So bad was it that Zach found himself fantasizing about having a new dad. Maybe that was some sort of intuition of what was to come when he finally took a commercial DNA test that proved there was a new beginning out there for him.By Couch Genes

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Lynn – And The Swap 31:39

4y ago31:39

31:39

We have christened Lynn our first “crowded MPE”, there were that many people involved with her conception and cover up. Lynn talks about her unusual origin story, struggles with identity and family dynamics. And shares her one secret weapon to deal with the challenges.By Couch Genes

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Noah – And the Birthday Present 24:41

4y ago24:41

24:41

Raised knowing he was adopted, Noah didn’t know much about his ancestry, ethnicity or birth parents until a birthday present helped him put the pieces together, along with five siblings.By Couch Genes

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Tamara- And The Fisherman 28:11

4y ago28:11

28:11

Tamara often felt she didn’t fit in with her family, which looked different than most since she was raised by her grandparents. A DNA test proved why she felt different and triggered a series of discoveries that changed her life both for the best and worst. Tamara shows us what resilience in the face of adversity looks like and relies on a positive…

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Ryan – Finding His Life Story 20:53

4y ago20:53

20:53

Ryan Anderson largely ignored his adoption until the pandemic forced him to face how poorly he had been dealing with it since he found out just before his 18 th birthday – what’s called a Late Discovery Adoptee (LDA). He jumped in with both feet, posting a video about his journey hoping it would help others living similar experiences and talks more…

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Jennifer - I Think I'm Adopted! 34:57

4y ago34:57

34:57

Adoptions are part of the MPE universe, and set the stage for the non-paternal events to understand the process. Jennifer had an intuition about her sense of not belonging in her family since she was quite young. What happens when your intuition turns out to be right? Turns out, you’re no better prepared for the emotional fall out.…

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Cassandra – And The Business of Secrecy 36:04

4+ y ago36:04

36:04

Cassandra Adams was raised Italian and Catholic and never expected to find anything surprising in her DNA test. What she found profoundly changed the direction of her life and fabric of her family relationships, not to mention identity and religious practices. Get to know her journey through the business of secrecy and the advocacy work of Cassandr…

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Christine - And The Light-Skinned Dancer 31:27

4+ y ago31:27

31:27

Christine learned of her NPE by mistake as a child, but the secret lay at the surface because her parents had a different secret to focus on: the swinging lifestyle. For Christine the discovery didn’t just tell her she had a different father, she was also a different race.By Couch Genes

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Julie Ryan McGue - Twice A Daughter 32:18

4+ y ago32:18

32:18

Julie was raised in a nice Irish Catholic family and knew from an early age she was adopted. Perhaps unsurprisingly, there’s more to it than that, since our stories never end in the easy places.By Couch Genes

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Linda Wagner - And The Second Chance 32:04

4+ y ago32:04

32:04

In a rare treat, we get to share an interview with a biological parent. It's rare for many reasons, but this is special because it's Allie's biological mother (previous episode). You'll get to hear another side of this amazing story, equally as elegant and heart-warming as Allie's story.By Couch Genes

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Alli - And The Christmas Present 45:25

4+ y ago45:25

45:25

We can’t wait for you to meet Alli. Her episode is told through the eyes of the adoptee, and will linger in your memory the way only a good story can. And stay tuned for the next episode, which includes an interview with her biological mother.By Couch Genes

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Damon - And The Librarian Part I 37:12

4+ y ago37:12

37:12

In this episode we meet Damon Davis, the former Director for the Health Data Initiative in the office of the Chief Technology Officer under the United States Department of Health & Human Services. Since holding that position, Damon has also added author and hosts the podcast Who Am I Really?, sharing adoption stories and attempts at reunion, like h…

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Damon - And The Librarian Part II 45:33

4+ y ago45:33

45:33

When we last left Damon, he had just decided to search for his biological father. He thought it would be as straight forward as finding Ann, but not much in the MPE, adoption world is straight forward. Just how many DNA tests does one person have to take to find a parent anyway?By Couch Genes

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Laura - And The Closet Of Papers 54:17

4+ y ago54:17

54:17

Like many MPE’s Laura felt different, never quite feeling she fit into the family. And that was just the beginning of a strange and difficult journey, leading to a heartwarming ending. Laura’s adoption story was not so much told to her as something she sought out for herself, using her intuition to search for clues and follow leads. Starting with i…

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Da Rhonda - And The Hit And Run 18:31

4+ y ago18:31

18:31

Da Rhonda shares her incredible story of a childhood as one of three children with parents who were closely biologically related and not able to be the parents they should have been, resulting in more than just an MPE. Despite her struggles, Da Rhonda displays resilience and hope, a true inspiration. Episode warning: If you lived a chaotic and abus…

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Stacy - The Peacekeeper 29:10

4+ y ago29:10

29:10

At ten years old, Stacy found divorce paperwork that detailed the child support and some confusing NPE news regarding her sister. Divorces would become familiar experiences for Stacy’s mom as Stacy would gain fathers and lose them until the final discovery in 2019. Family for Stacy has been experienced between two extremes: “you’ll find out when I …

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Cory Goodrich - And The Mystery Man 30:07

5y ago30:07

30:07

Cory was the favorite in the family but always thought her stepfather was a bit odd. Then, more oddities began appearing when Cory realized there no pictures of herself over a period of time, as if she didn’t exist. She was taught not to trust her intuition, an important skill for a performer to be denied. Learn about Cory’s journey to DNA discover…