Can We Build A Human?

From A Question of Science by The Francis Crick Institute

December 3, 2025 · 38 min · Season 1 · Episode 12

About this episode

The episode explores the possibilities and implications of human bioengineering and enhancement.

Professor Brian Cox and our expert panel explore the frontier of human bioengineering and building, replacing, and enhancing our bodies.   Will we ever have bionic brains and cloned humans? Is there a danger of science fiction getting too close for comfort?    From mechanical implants to lab-grown organs to whether humans could evolve to live in space, the discussion delves into what’s possible today and where science might take us next.  Panellists   Mark Pollock – Explorer, motivational speaker and Chairman of Collaborative Cures George Malliaras – Prince Philip Professor of Technology, University of Cambridge Madeline Lancaster – Group Leader, Medical Research Council (MRC) Laboratory of Molecular Biology    Robin Lovell-Badge – Group Leader, Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Genetics Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute  Watch the video version of this episode and read a transcript on our website: www.crick.ac.uk/podcast/buildahuman    A BBC Studios Production for the Francis Crick Institute.   Music by John Biddle  © BBC Studios / Francis Crick Institute 2025&nbsp…

People in this episode

Host: Professor Brian Cox

Guests: Mark Pollock, George Malliaras, Madeline Lancaster, Robin Lovell-Badge

Topics covered

human bioengineering
bionic brains
cloned humans
mechanical implants
lab-grown organs
human evolution
space living

Keywords

bioengineering
bionic
cloning
implants
organs
evolution
space

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Cambridge, Medical Research Council (MRC) Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Institute, BBC Studios