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Superfly

Documentary using specialist photography and 3D animation to show how the common fruit fly has been crucial to a hundred years of genetic research.

Documentary providing a fly's eye view of one hundred years of genetic research. Drosophila melanogaster, the common fruit fly, has helped scientists unlock the secrets of life as the subject of thousands of genetic experiments.

Using specialist photography and 3D animation the programme explores the fly's world, meeting gay, drunk and violent flies, as well as mutants high on crack cocaine, all lovingly raised by a slightly obsessed breed of scientists past and present. And the fruit fly may now even help us find a cure for cancer.

1 hour

Last on

Thu 20 Aug 200901:40

Credits

RoleContributor
DirectorPhilip Smith
ProducerNicolas Kent

Broadcasts