مکالمه ی فعالانه قسمت د

ACTIVE SPEAKING / PART D

UNUSUAL INHERITANCES

He describes Överkalix as being data rich.

How does he describe Överkalix? He describes Överkalix as being data rich.

The church there kept incredibly detailed records about the people there for hundreds of years.

How long did they keep records about the people there? They kept records about the people there for hundreds of years. Who kept records about the people there for hundreds of years? The church kept records about the people there for hundreds of years.

Names, birth dates, death dates, the causes of death, weather and historical crop levels were all meticulously recorded.

Did they record names, birth dates, death dates and the cause of death?

Yes, they recorded names, birth dates, death dates and the cause of death.

Did they also record weather and historical crop levels? Yes, they also recorded weather and historical crop levels.

Olov began looking at the crop data.

Who began looking at the crop data? Olov began looking at the crop data.

He saw that over the years people there bounced back and forth between periods of near starvation and plenty.

What did they bounce back and forth between? They bounced back and forth between periods of near starvation and plenty.

Harsh weather resulted in little food some years.

What did harsh weather result in? Harsh weather resulted in little food some years.

And plentiful harvests resulted in full bellies other years.

What did plentiful harvests result in? Plentiful harvests resulted in full bellies other years.

Within this data, Olov found a strange link that stretched across three generations.

Did he find a normal link or a strange link? He found a strange link. Did this strange link stretch across two generations? No, this strange link didn’t stretch across two generations. This strange link stretched across three generations.

If a boy suffered through near starvation between the ages of 9-12, his future children and even grandchildren inherited a health boost.

Would his future children and grandchildren inherit a lot of money? No, his future children and grandchildren wouldn’t inherit a lot of money. His future children and even grandchildren inherited a health boost.

And it wasn’t a small one.

What wasn’t a small one? The health boost wasn’t a small one.

The grandchild of a man who had starved as a child was less likely to get diabetes and 25% less likely to have heart disease.

Was the grandchild less likely to get diabetes? Yes, the grandchild was less likely to get diabetes. What else was the grandchild less likely to have? The grandchild was also less likely to have heart disease.

And most remarkable, they lived an average of 30 years more.

How much more did they live? They lived an average of 30 years more.

Olov and scientists who have reviewed his research agree that there is a clear connection between adolescent starvation and future generation health benefits.

What is there a clear connection between? There is a clear connection between adolescent starvation and future generation health benefits.

Why this connection is happening is unclear.

What is unclear? Why this connection is happening is unclear.

One theory is that during the ages of 9-12, boys are setting aside cells that will later be used for sperm.

What kind of cells are boys setting aside? Boys are setting aside cells that will later be used for sperm. At what ages are they doing this? They are doing this between the ages of 9-12.

The chemical effects of starvation are somehow affecting the epigenome and getting passed down to children and grandchildren.

Are the chemical effects of starvation somehow affecting the epigenome?

Yes, the chemical effects of starvation are somehow affecting the epigenome. Who are these effects getting passed down to? These effects are getting passed down to children and grandchildren.

Whatever the reason, the results are clear.

Are the results clear or unclear? The results are clear.

Children and grandchildren have inherited a healthier life from the suffering of their grandfather.

What have they inherited a healthier life from? They have inherited a healthier life from the suffering of their grandfather.

This silver lining to grandpa’s childhood starvation does have a dark flip side.

Is there a silver lining to grandpa’s childhood starvation? Yes, there is a silver lining to grandpa’s childhood starvation. Does it have a bright flip side or a dark flip side? It has a dark flip side.

Boys who ate a lot during this critical age passed down a 400% greater risk of diabetes and a higher risk of heart disease to their grandchildren.

Did boys who ate a lot during this critical age pass down a higher risk for disease to their grandchildren? Yes, boys who ate a lot during this critical age passed down a higher risk of disease to their grandchildren. Was it a 40% greater risk of diabetes? No, it wasn’t a 40% greater risk of diabetes. It was a 400% greater risk of diabetes. Was there also a higher risk of heart disease? Yes, there was also a higher risk of heart disease.

The idea that we can inherit advantages and disadvantages from our parents in the form of money or DNA is taken for granted.

What is taken for granted? The idea that we can inherit advantages and disadvantages from our parents in the form of money or DNA is taken for granted.

But according to one science writer, “this new field, “epigenetic inheritance,” has transformed our views of why we are the way we are.” What views has it transformed? It has transformed our views of why we are the way we are.”

Olov’s findings may only just begin to scratch the surface of how we are not only shaped by the DNA of our parents, but also by the experiences of our parents.

Whose finding may only just begin to scratch the surface? Olov’s findings may only just begin to scratch the surface. Are we shaped by the DNA of our parents? Yes, we are shaped by the DNA of our parents. What else are we shaped by? We are also shaped by the experiences of our parents.