View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-immortal-cells-of-henrietta-lacks-robin-bulleri

Imagine something small enough to float on a particle of dust that holds the keys to understanding cancer, virology, and genetics. Luckily for us, such a thing exists in the form of trillions upon trillions of human, lab-grown cells called HeLa. But where did we get these cells? Robin Bulleri tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, a woman whose DNA led to countless cures, patents, and discoveries.

Lesson by Robin Bulleri, animation by Brandon Denmark.