Craig Venter’s Legacy: The Most Influential Geneticist Since Watson and Crick

Episode 365 Craig Venter, one of the world’s most influential geneticists, has died aged 79. He leaves behind an incredible - and complicated - legacy. Venter is primarily known for playing a leading role in the sequencing of the human genome. Later he pioneered the field of synthetic biology, creating what was described as the first synthetic life form - a feat that was not without controversy. So what drove Venter? And why was he so compelled to promote the idea of science as a competitive race? We discuss his many achievements, including his work in marine biology - and explore the pioneering methods behind it all. Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet are joined by science writer Mike Marshall, and former New Scientist editor Roger Highfield. To read more about these stories, visit Image Credits: Marjorie McCarty, CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons Arienette22, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons The original uploader was Bruno Comby at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 1.0 via Wikimedia Commons Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Craig Venter’s Legacy: The Most Influential Geneticist Since Watson and Crick is an episode from New Scientist Weekly by New Scientist.

This episode is 26:47 long.

This episode was published on May 1, 2026.

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