Tne of the main reasons why Doctor Who – both the show and the character – has survived so long is the concept of regeneration. Every time the Doctor dies, the character is renewed – their cells rewritten, their wounds repaired, their severed limbs regrown. It’s a process that Jodie Whittaker’s 13th Doctor will be undergoing soon, with her final series due to air on BBC One this October.
The idea of a regeneration so extreme that it can transform one person into another is, of course, a bit fanciful. But the basic tenets of regeneration (extending life, regrowing body parts) is science fact in the animal kingdom – and one day, it might be for us too.
This story is from the October 2021 edition of BBC Focus - Science & Technology.
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This story is from the October 2021 edition of BBC Focus - Science & Technology.
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