Identical(ish)

Ever wondered how close nature can get to making a human clone? And what happens if identical twin brothers marry identical twin sisters and have babies - how similar are they? Our listener Chris has been pondering this very issue, and his question takes Hannah and Dara down another scientific rabbit hole.

Our intrepid duo consider how one fertilised egg can somehow become two babies, why those babies aren’t quite genetic photocopies, and why even identical twins gradually become more different as they grow up. They also find out how studying twins is helping scientists learn lessons about how all of us age - and explore the classic, movie-perpetuated mystery of “twin telepathy”… could there maybe, possibly, be something to it?!

There’s also just time to address the tricky issue of cloning. From Dolly the sheep to regenerative medicine, cloning science has paved the way for some serious breakthroughs; but could we ever clone a human? And more to the point, should we?

Expect sheep, sci-fi, identical cousins, and a dash of disproven twin mythology, as Curious Cases makes its return!

If you have an everyday mystery for the team to investigate, contact them on curiouscases@bbc.co.uk.

Contributors:
Xand van Tulleken - Doctor, broadcaster and Honorary Associate Professor of Infection and Population Health at University College London
Kevin Sinclair - Professor of Developmental Biology and Head of Animal Sciences at the University of Nottingham
Claire Steves - Principal Investigator at TwinsUK and Professor of Ageing and Health at King’s College London
Chris van Tulleken - Doctor, broadcaster and Professor of Infection and Global Health at University College London

Producer: Lucy Taylor
Executive Producer: Sasha Feachem
A BBC Studios Production