Uploaded April 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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I now have a series of videos doing a deep dive into ERVs on the "Stated Casually" channel. Check it out here: youtu.be/iMicPY_yhtE

Here we explore the amazing discovery of Endogenous Retroviruses (ERVs) in our own DNA. These are genetic remnants of antient virus infections suffered by our ancestors. It turns out that many of our Endogenous Retroviruses are shared by chimpanzees. This is because we share a common ancestor with them.

For links to each paper shown in this video, and to check the math discussed in this animation, see our article here: docs.google.com/document/d/1gZWCMW7ZWhdlLPVJU4nDWkmyQbUqZG3wsS0FD2sKmn0/edit?usp=sharing

Here is the video interview with Francis Collins: youtu.be/vKmZRuJpjU0

Here is a link to a great FAQ about endogenous retroviruses and what they tell us about evolution: barryhisblog.blogspot.com/p/endogenous-retroviruses-frequently.html

#genetics #evolution #biology #retrovirus #EndogenousRetrovirus