Simulating The Strange Way Life (Likely) Evolved

Ever wondered why poop smells so awful? That’s just the appetizer in this Veritasium deep dive into evolution’s strangest twists. Starting from life’s chemical beginnings, the video walks you through gene mutations, how natural selection really works, and even shows you a hands-on computer simulation of evolution in action.

Along the way, you’ll learn what traits actually get passed on (spoiler: it’s all about genes playing nice or fighting dirty), why helping your relatives makes evolutionary sense (kin selection), and how Richard Dawkins’ Selfish Gene ties it all together. Featuring insights from top researchers like Jack Szostak and John Sutherland, it’s a fun, thought-provoking tour of life as one giant genetic simulation.

Watch on YouTube