Can your DNA predict your income, education, and love life?

What if a single number, derived from your DNA, could predict your income, education level, or even who you’re likely to marry?

In his new book The Social Genome (WW Norton, 2025), Princeton University sociologist Dalton Conley explores the science behind how our genes are shaping our society in ways that are both profound and unsettling.

Conley explains how our genes, and the genes of those around us, are influencing our lives in ways we barely understand—from fertility clinics selecting embryos based on genetic traits to the rise of “genetic sorting” in everything from dating to zip codes. He also debunks the idea of nature versus nurture, revealing how deeply intertwined they truly are.

Are we heading toward a future of genetically coded inequality? And what policies and conversations are urgently needed to ensure we don’t cross the line from science into dystopia?

On this episode of the Big Brains podcast, Conley digs into how genetic science could forecast your future:

Read the transcript for this episode.

Source: University of Chicago

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