Episode 3: ‘Frankenworm & the Wormopocene’ — A Lab Tour with Dr. L. Rene Garcia

Cover Art: “Reflection in green” by Dianne LaForge

Join host Donnie Secreast, collaborator of the Humanities & the Anthropocene Initiative, for a conversation with biochemist Dr. L. Rene Garcia. In this episode, Donnie visits Dr. Garcia’s lab at Texas A&M University to learn about the molecular biology of C. elegans—a tiny worm that plays a big role in studying persistence, behavior, and biochemistry. Together, they discuss laser surgeries, genetically engineered Frankenworms, and the philosophical implications of knowing when to give up. From the microscopic realities of worm experiments to reflections on climate change, environmental resilience, and the strange viability of life in crisis, this episode explores what C. elegans might teach us about living in the Anthropocene—or perhaps the Wormopocene. Special thanks to Dr. L. Rene Garcia, to the students and researchers in his lab, and a huge thank you to our podcast’s producer, Leonardo Cardoso. Thanks to all involved with Texas A&M University’s The Humanities & the Anthropocene Initiative. Additional thanks to the initiative’s sponsor, the Melbern G. Glasscock Center for Humanities Research.

By: Donnie Secreast

Produced by: Leonardo Cardoso

Music: “Hung Over” by The Martini’s from Late Late Party (1965-67), Light In The Attic Records, 2011