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When Evolution Hurts (Free Hybrid Event)

By Harvard Museums of Science & Culture, Harvard Museum of Natural History, and Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology

Evolution can be a blessing and a curse. In this free hybrid lecture, Dr. Terence Capellini discusses the link between the cause and treatment of knee osteoarthritis and the evolution of bipedalism.

A horizontal DNA molecule with a series of pictures illustrating human evolution above. The last image is a human with knee pain.

.: Thu, March 2 2023 6pm – 7pm.

Ages: Adults.

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Contact

Harvard Museums of Science and Culture
hmscpr@hmsc.harvard.edu
617-496-6064

Registration required

  • Sign-up is ongoing

Free!

Location

  • Both in-person and virtual (online or over the phone).

Geological Lecture Hall

24 Oxford St.
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Additional information

Terence D. Capellini, Professor of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University

Being able to walk upright on two feet is a physical trait that distinguishes modern humans from our early ancestors. While the evolution of bipedalism has contributed to our success as a species, it has also limited the evolution of other features and increased our risk for certain diseases. Capellini will discuss the genetic research that is helping scientists better understand the relationship between bipedalism and our risk of developing knee osteoarthritis—a degenerative disease that afflicts at least 250 million people worldwide. By understanding the evolutionary history and genetics of this condition, preventive screenings and potential treatments may be developed. 

Free event parking at the 52 Oxford Street Garage.

Presented by the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, the Harvard Museum of Natural History, and the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture

Image credit: Tasha McAbee, Department of Orthopedics at Boston Children's Hospital