Professor Turi King

How double child-murderer Colin Pitchfork was caught - Interview with DCS David Baker (retired)

Professor Turi King speaking with Detective Chief Superintendent David Baker (retired), about tracking down double child-murderer Colin Pitchfork. A case that made history for being the first criminal case, in which someone was proven to be innocent, on the basis of genetic evidence. Also, the first time that genetic evidence was used to convict somebody.

DNA Family Secrets: Who is my birth mother? Margaret’s story

Around three-quarters of a million people in the UK are adopted, but before the law changed in 1975, most adoptees never knew the identity of their birth parents. Margaret was adopted when she was just six months old.

DNA Family Secrets: What happened to my father? Bill’s story

Around a million of us in the UK grow up without any contact with our fathers. 75-year-old Bill has never met his dad. During World War II 240,000 African American GIs were stationed in the UK, many had relationships with local women, which resulted in the birth of two thousand mixed-race babies. Bill is one of them.

The genetics of taste - Professor Turi King

Hands up who likes brussel sprouts? How are you with broccoli? I ask because we know that our genetic make-up goes some way to explaining whether you’ll be fine eating some foods, such as broccoli and brussel sprouts, that others find too bitter to nibble on.

We are all related to royalty - Professor Turi King

On an episode of 'Who Do You Think You Are?' the comedian, Josh Widdicombe, found out he was descended from King Edward I. Just how common is this being related to royalty. Is it some sort of celebrity thing or are we all related to royalty? Basically, the answer is yes. We’re all related to royalty, it’s simply a matter of degree. The stumbling block to proving it is finding the documentary evidence.

DNA Family Secrets: Who is my biological father? Richard‘s story

Around 1 in 50 people do not have the biological father they think they have. 53-year-old Richard discovered he wasn’t blood related to the man who raised him and came to DNA Family Secrets seeking answers.

The Princes in the Tower: could scientific analysis help identify the remains in Westminster Abbey?

Are the remains in the urn in Westminster Abbey really those of the Princes in the Tower? And how could scientific analysis help answer this question?

The Sperm Donor‘s Dilemma - Professor Turi King

Professor Turi King discusses the implications of wide spread use of DNA matching services and being a sperm donor or a sperm donor child.