In Exploring Current Research on HIV, learn about the groundbreaking moment when Dr. Hutter cured a patient, Timothy Ray Brown, of HIV for the first time. The video highlights how Timothy, who had developed leukemia in addition to HIV, became the first person cured of the virus through a stem cell transplant. The story explores the role of white blood cells and how some people are naturally resistant to HIV, providing an exciting look into modern medical advancements. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
In Studying Locked-In Patients, explore the ways in which doctors are working to understand and diagnose locked-in syndrome. Learn more about the challenges of distinguishing between patients who are in a vegetative state and those who are in a locked-in state, where they are conscious but unable to communicate. Doctors use advanced techniques like fMRI scans to study brain activity and learn more about these patients’ potential for recovery. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
In Some People's Sense of Smell Can Detect Disease, learn how Joy, a woman with a unique sense of smell, is helping doctors understand the early detection of disease. By detecting a specific smell that is associated with Parkinson’s, Joy is contributing to groundbreaking research that could help improve diagnosis and treatment. Learn how the sense of smell can play a crucial role in detecting diseases before other symptoms appear. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
In Henrietta Lacks and the Legacy of Her Extraordinary Cells, learn about Henrietta Lacks, whose cells, taken without her consent during her treatment for cervical cancer, became one of the most important tools in medical research. Henrietta's cells, known as HeLa cells, have continued to divide and grow in laboratories for decades, making them a valuable resource for scientists. Understand the significance of her contribution to science and explore the ethical questions surrounding consent and cell ownership. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
In The Extraordinary Abilities of Breath-Hold Divers, learn about the abilities of breath-hold divers and the scientific discoveries that are being made as researchers study their techniques. Understand the human body's remarkable ability to adapt and how these findings could have future applications in medicine and technology. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
In What Is Segmental Overgrowth?, learn about the fascinating condition that causes certain parts of the body to grow out of proportion. Meet Leah, whose arm is growing abnormally due to a mutation in the PIK3CA gene. Explore the science behind this condition, understanding how cells grow, how mutations in specific genes can affect growth, and the connection between cancer research and segmental overgrowth. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
In Understanding the Brain's Unique Sensory Connections, learn how synesthesia occurs in the brain and how it allows people to experience the world in an extraordinary way by connecting senses in unique ways, like seeing colors when hearing sounds. Understanding synesthesia is helping researchers assist individuals with sensory limitations, such as blindness, by expanding our knowledge of how the brain processes stimuli. This insight is leading to advancements in both sensory research and the treatment of sensory disorders. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
In Memory and the Brain’s Storage System, meet individuals with Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM), a condition that allows them to recall dates, events, and personal memories in vivid detail. Explore how these individuals, like Tyler and Tracy, are able to access memories as if they happened yesterday, and how researchers are studying their brains to understand how memory is formed and stored. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
In The Mystery of Severe Allergic Reactions, explore the story of a woman with severe allergic reactions triggered by common substances such as certain foods and sunlight. Her condition, which includes life-threatening anaphylaxis, has baffled doctors, leading to groundbreaking research into mast cells and their role in inflammation and allergic responses. Discover how these cells function and the challenges of diagnosing and managing complex immune conditions. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
In How Polyphonic Singing Works, explore the fascinating phenomenon of polyphonic singing. The video features Wolfgang, a singer who can produce two notes at once. Using an MRI, Wolfgang and researchers uncover the mechanics behind this rare ability, revealing how changes in the shape of the tongue and larynx allow the vocal apparatus to create distinct tones simultaneously. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
In Exploring Current Research on HIV, learn about the groundbreaking moment when Dr. Hutter cured a patient, Timothy Ray Brown, of HIV for the first time. The video highlights how Timothy, who had developed leukemia in addition to HIV, became the first person cured of the virus through a stem cell transplant. The story explores the role of white blood cells and how some people are naturally resistant to HIV, providing an exciting look into modern medical advancements. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
In Studying Locked-In Patients, explore the ways in which doctors are working to understand and diagnose locked-in syndrome. Learn more about the challenges of distinguishing between patients who are in a vegetative state and those who are in a locked-in state, where they are conscious but unable to communicate. Doctors use advanced techniques like fMRI scans to study brain activity and learn more about these patients’ potential for recovery. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
In Some People's Sense of Smell Can Detect Disease, learn how Joy, a woman with a unique sense of smell, is helping doctors understand the early detection of disease. By detecting a specific smell that is associated with Parkinson’s, Joy is contributing to groundbreaking research that could help improve diagnosis and treatment. Learn how the sense of smell can play a crucial role in detecting diseases before other symptoms appear. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
In Henrietta Lacks and the Legacy of Her Extraordinary Cells, learn about Henrietta Lacks, whose cells, taken without her consent during her treatment for cervical cancer, became one of the most important tools in medical research. Henrietta's cells, known as HeLa cells, have continued to divide and grow in laboratories for decades, making them a valuable resource for scientists. Understand the significance of her contribution to science and explore the ethical questions surrounding consent and cell ownership. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
In The Extraordinary Abilities of Breath-Hold Divers, learn about the abilities of breath-hold divers and the scientific discoveries that are being made as researchers study their techniques. Understand the human body's remarkable ability to adapt and how these findings could have future applications in medicine and technology. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
In What Is Segmental Overgrowth?, learn about the fascinating condition that causes certain parts of the body to grow out of proportion. Meet Leah, whose arm is growing abnormally due to a mutation in the PIK3CA gene. Explore the science behind this condition, understanding how cells grow, how mutations in specific genes can affect growth, and the connection between cancer research and segmental overgrowth. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
In Understanding the Brain's Unique Sensory Connections, learn how synesthesia occurs in the brain and how it allows people to experience the world in an extraordinary way by connecting senses in unique ways, like seeing colors when hearing sounds. Understanding synesthesia is helping researchers assist individuals with sensory limitations, such as blindness, by expanding our knowledge of how the brain processes stimuli. This insight is leading to advancements in both sensory research and the treatment of sensory disorders. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
In Memory and the Brain’s Storage System, meet individuals with Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM), a condition that allows them to recall dates, events, and personal memories in vivid detail. Explore how these individuals, like Tyler and Tracy, are able to access memories as if they happened yesterday, and how researchers are studying their brains to understand how memory is formed and stored. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
In The Mystery of Severe Allergic Reactions, explore the story of a woman with severe allergic reactions triggered by common substances such as certain foods and sunlight. Her condition, which includes life-threatening anaphylaxis, has baffled doctors, leading to groundbreaking research into mast cells and their role in inflammation and allergic responses. Discover how these cells function and the challenges of diagnosing and managing complex immune conditions. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
In How Polyphonic Singing Works, explore the fascinating phenomenon of polyphonic singing. The video features Wolfgang, a singer who can produce two notes at once. Using an MRI, Wolfgang and researchers uncover the mechanics behind this rare ability, revealing how changes in the shape of the tongue and larynx allow the vocal apparatus to create distinct tones simultaneously. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.