TWINS: July 2024 podcast playlist

Twins captivate our curiosity because they embody the intrigue of nature’s genetic lottery. From identical twins, who share the same DNA and often exhibit uncanny similarities in appearance and behavior, to fraternal twins with distinct genetic makeup yet a unique bond forged from shared experiences in the womb, each pair offers a glimpse into the complexity of human biology and the mysteries of individuality versus shared identity. Beyond their physical traits, twins often develop a profound emotional connection that transcends ordinary sibling relationships, making their interactions and dynamics a fascinating study of nature, nurture, and the intricacies of human connection. So this month we’re digging into all things twins – the biology, the bond, and the fascination.

Podcast Playlist on TWINS

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The Daily: “The Sunday Read: ‘The Mixed-Up Brothers of Bogotá'” (March 2020, 1 hr 20 min)
One magazine writer reflects on life’s unpredictability and shares her story of a hospital error that scrambled two pairs of Colombian identical twins. This is the story of how the four brothers found one another — and of what happened next.
Hidden Brain: “What Twins Tell Us” (June 2021, 28 min)
In December 1988, two sets of identical twins became test subjects in a study for which they had never volunteered. It was an experiment that could never be performed in a lab, and had never before been documented. This week, we revisit this fascinating story, told by psychologist Nancy Segal, about the eternal tug between nature and nurture in shaping who we are.
ELI5 Explain Like I’m 5: “ELI5 Twins – why do identical twins have different fingerprints?” (March 2022, 9 min)
What is a half twin? If twins have identical DNA, how come their fingerprints are different? If identical twins have kids with another set of identical twins, are their offspring technically brothers or sisters? If two twin brothers are disputing to see who is the father of a child, can science determine which of the two is the real father? Why are there so many twins in hollywood? Does face scanning recognize twins as the same?
Supernatural with Ashley Flowers: “MYSTICAL: The Silent Twins” (April 2020, 37 min)
From the time they were children growing up in Wales during the 1970s, identical twins June and Jennifer Gibbons refused to speak to anyone or even make eye contact. It earned them the nickname “The Silent Twins.” And the only way they’d truly break their silence…was for one of them to die.
Planet Money: “Twins (classic)” (June 2023, 21 min)
Twins are used to fielding all sorts of questions, like “Can you read each other’s minds?” or “Can you feel each other’s pain?” Two of our Planet Money reporters are twins, and they have heard them all.
Bonus podcast episodes:

• Radio Diaries: “Identical Strangers” (April 2022, 19 min)
  Paula Bernstein and Elyse Schein were both born in New York City and adopted as infants. When they were 35 years old, they met and found they were “identical strangers.”
• Get Real Health with Dr. Chana Davis: “Nature vs Nurture: Learning From Twin Studies (Dr. Nancy Segal)” (November 2021, 28 min)
  Learn about the roles of nature and nurture in shaping our lives, with Dr. Nancy Segal, a leading expert in twin studies. Dr. Segal chats with host Dr. Chana Davis (a geneticist, and mother of twins) about how twins are studied, and what we have learned about the roles of genes and environment on height, intelligence, personality and more. They also share personal reflections on how we can apply this knowledge to the way we live, parent, and think about ourselves. Dr. Segal also shares a preview of her latest book, entitled Deliberately Divided: Inside the Controversial Study of Twins and Triplets Adopted Apart.
• Sci Guys: “154: The Science of Vanishing Twin Syndrome” (March 2022, 1 hr 6 min)
  Sometimes twins can battle it out while in the womb, resulting in one of them just… disappearing. This is vanishing twin syndrome, and it’s far more common than you may first think.
• Houston We Have a Podcast: “Twins Study” (April 2019, 1 hr 3 min)
  Dr. Andy Feinberg and Dr. Steve Platts discuss the history and details behind the Twins Study. The experts reveal some of the findings from the multi-year endeavor packed with 10 different investigations.

Conversation Starter Questions:

1. Why do you think we’re so fascinated by twins?
2. Do you have any twins in your family? What is their relationship like?
3. How do you think you’d feel if you were one of the Bogota twins?