Important, Not Important

How did we get here?That's today's big question, and today my guests are Roy Moger-Reischer, and our first three-time guest, Brandon Ogbunu. Roy Moger-Reischer is a scientist trained in microbiology, evolution and data analysis for his PhD. He's currently a fermentation specialist Arzeda, working to develop new proteins and biochemistry for the production of valuable molecules. Brandon Ogbunu, described as a radical collaborator, is an assistant professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale. His research takes place at the intersection of evolutionary biology, genetics, and epidemiology. When I first read about the work of Roy and his lab compatriots to take this idea of a cell stripped down to only what is most essential -- a minimal cell -- and then to see if it would or could evolve to survive even basic mutations, my first thought was, "What?"The answer, it turns out, is profound as hell. And because I'm a self-aware moron, I also begged past guest, Brandon Ogbunu, to come back o