Book of Humanity -- Contemporary Popular Science Masterpieces Series, Philosopher's Stone

Author: (British) Walter Bodmer (Bodmer, W.), (British) Robin McKie
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-09-01
Features: Our fate lies within our DNA. As our thoughts are compressed into fine, spider-like microbeams, this "golden molecule" uniquely determines everything. Along its intricate double helix chain, the alphabet of life is depicted in chemical form, deciding whether we are short or tall, healthy or sick, intelligent or foolish, and whether we have light blue eyes or irritable dark brown eyes. Unveiling the complex mechanisms involved in this process is one of the most exciting achievements of modern science, a story of inspiration and dedication (with occasional missed opportunities), starting with Mendel's discovery of the laws of inheritance in the 19th century. Today, it has evolved into the most ambitious endeavor in the field of biology: the Human Genome Project, sometimes called "the Book of Man." This grand endeavor is a bold initiative, a project in biology that can be compared to the Apollo moon landing. Its goal is to reveal the 100,000 genes that control human development and to meticulously map the DNA alphabet. The knowledge gained has already sparked a revolution in humanity's fundamental understanding of itself. The entire molecular process of cancer occurrence is now unfolding before us, and the role of genes in hereditary diseases, immune disorders (such as rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes), mental illnesses, and other conditions is being uncovered. And so on.