Natural selection is about the survival of the fittest, but it is not perfect. How can we fix it?
Episode 2
"The Skin I Live In"
Synopsis
The skin is the largest organ in the body. It covers and protects internal organs; it serves as a physical barrier between the "self" and the exterior. However, the skin is penetrable and easily broken by injuries and burns.
It is a physical and a chemical barrier to bacteria and viruses, but it is not an infallible one.
Our skin also protects us from UV radiation, but we sometimes pay a terrible price for it: skin cancer.
How did the skin evolve through millions of years of evolutionary history?
How would engineers design the perfect skin?
The episode features the world's most distinguish advances in creating lab-engineered skin for implants for trauma and fire victims.
It also takes a close look at the new technological approaches for creating suits that act as the perfect skin and their military and civilian use.
With the ozone layer diminishing and the increment in air pollutants, will our skin be different in the future?
