What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedUnnatural Selection
Leeor Kaufman · Series · 2019
If you loved Unnatural Selection, start with Gattaca (Andrew Niccol, 1997) — a film on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to Unnatural Selection across media.
What hooked you in Unnatural Selection was the way the cold precision of genetic science collides with raw, human moral consequences.
Books on the same thread
The Code Breaker
Walter Isaacson · Book · 2021
Explores: biotechnology ethics, scientific discovery, innovation.
Like Unnatural Selection, this biography moves beyond abstract theory to reveal the complex academic rivalries and personal stakes that define the modern revolution in gene editing technology.
Not in Our Genes
Richard C. Lewontin, Steven Peter Russell Rose, Leon J. Kamin · Book · 1984
Explores: Nature vs Nurture, Biological Determinism Critique, Social Construction of Science.
If Unnatural Selection made you question the ethics of biological intervention, this critique offers a grounding perspective on how political and social ideologies shape our scientific understanding.
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
Yuval Noah Harari · Book · 2015
Shares a thread with Unnatural Selection: Future of Humanity.
Unnatural Selection explores our power to hack biology, and this history book expands that scope to examine how our species’ evolution has always been defined by technological disruption.
On Human Nature
Edward O. Wilson · Book · 2012
Explores: Human Behavior, Nature vs. Nurture, Biological Determinism.
This work mirrors the ethical tension in Unnatural Selection by debating whether our biological destiny is a product of our natural history or our own deliberate social engineering.
Films on the same thread
Gattaca
Andrew Niccol · Film · 1997
Explores: Genetic Discrimination, Social Engineering, Identity Theft.
This film dramatizes the exact anxieties raised in Unnatural Selection, depicting a near-future where the ability to select genetic traits creates a rigid, discriminatory hierarchy for those left behind.
Children of Men
Alfonso Cuarón · Film · 2006
Explores: Infertility, Societal Collapse, Hope in Darkness.
Just as Unnatural Selection highlights the fragility of the human future, this story explores the desperation of a world where biological reproductive potential has been completely stripped away.
Annihilation
Alex Garland · Film · 2018
Explores: Existentialism, Self-Destruction, Transformation.
Unnatural Selection focuses on the manipulation of life, while this film portrays the terrifying, existential consequences when nature is fundamentally altered by forces beyond our control.
Ex Machina
Alex Garland · Film · 2015
Explores: Artificial intelligence ethics, Existentialism, The nature of consciousness.
This film captures the same unsettling intersection of innovation and ethics found in Unnatural Selection, questioning the boundaries of consciousness and the morality of creating new life.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Realignment
The Realignment · Podcast · 2026
Explores: institutional change, populism, technological disruption.
This podcast explores the broader institutional shifts and policy debates that provide the necessary context for the scientific breakthroughs showcased throughout the documentary series Unnatural Selection.
Lex Fridman Podcast
Lex Fridman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: human condition, technological ethics, deep thinking.
These deep-dive conversations echo the intellectual curiosity of Unnatural Selection, inviting you to further contemplate the profound impact that emerging technologies have on the human condition.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What is the main focus of Unnatural Selection?
Unnatural Selection explores the science and ethics of gene editing. The series examines how humans can hack biology to potentially eradicate diseases or select specific traits in children by profiling the real people working within the field of genetic engineering.
Is Unnatural Selection a documentary series?
Yes, Unnatural Selection is a 2019 television series directed by Leeor Kaufman. It functions as a documentary that investigates the real-world implications of gene editing technology and the individuals who are actively shaping the future of human biology.
Does Unnatural Selection cover the ethics of gene editing?
Yes, Unnatural Selection examines the ethical consequences of gene editing. By focusing on the real people behind the science, the show highlights how the ability to hack biology and select human traits presents complex moral dilemmas regarding the future of our species.
Who created Unnatural Selection?
Unnatural Selection was created in 2019 by Leeor Kaufman. This television series documents the rapid advancement of gene editing technology and introduces viewers to the scientists and individuals directly involved in the process of hacking human biology.