“The Most Beautiful Experiment,” captivating over 180,000 viewers, dives into a key biology experiment that’s resonating deeply with students, making science feel both alive and personal.
The film celebrates Matt Meselson and Frank Stahl’s discovery of DNA’s semi-conservative replication while highlighting their lifelong friendship and shared scientific passion.
To help you easily integrate this film into your curriculum, we’ve collaborated with Adam Kleinschmit from the University of Dubuque, IA, to create comprehensive resources, including learning objectives, discussion questions, and activities designed to enrich classroom engagement.
Tell our educators about yourself.
I am a Professor of Biology teaching various undergraduate courses in Cellular and Molecular Biology. My academic passions include engaging undergraduates in research and contributing to the transformation of undergraduate education through curricular innovations and education research.
What got you excited about this film in particular?
It was a real pleasure watching Meselson and Stahl interact in an informal setting and explain their seminal experiment in their own words.
I loved how the film explores the nature of science and provides the viewer with a glimpse into how scientists think and culture within the scientific community.
How did you approach developing the teaching resources?
I built the resource around one of the core concepts within the GSA’s Genetics learning framework, but also incorporated the nature of science and scientific identity as overarching topics. I aimed to engage my students in the backstory of Meselson and Stahl while also challenging students to engage in understanding conceptual ideas and apply them to analyze experimental output.
How would you summarize the results you obtained testing these resources in your classroom?
I received overwhelming positive feedback from students! As part of an anonymous post-activity survey, students cited value in learning course concepts directly from scientists involved in establishing foundational knowledge. They also reported that the activity provided an opportunity to reflect on their perceptions of science and scientists.
