A graphic portrayal of a complicated science for a wide range of readers, full of humor, depth, and philosophical and historical insight.
Suitable for use in and out of the classroom, this volume covers DNA’s many marvels, from its original discovery in 1869 to early-twentieth-century debates on the mechanisms of inheritance and the deeper nature of life’s evolution and variety.
Even readers who lack a background in science and philosophy will learn a tremendous amount from this engaging narrative. The book elucidates DNA’s relationship to health and the cause and cure of disease. It also covers the creation of new life forms, nanomachines, and perspectives on crime detection, and considers the philosophical sources of classical Darwinian theory and recent, radical changes in the understanding of evolution itself. Already these developments have profoundly affected our notions about living things. Borin Van Loon’s humorous illustrations recount the contributions of Gregor Mendel, Frederick Griffith, James Watson, and Francis Crick, among other biologists, scientists, and researchers, and vividly depict the modern controversies surrounding the Human Genome Project and cloning.
“A unique, richly detailed, and fun biography of DNA grounded in deep historical and philosophical knowledge . . . Everything we need to know about biology’s most important molecule.” —Olive Sacks, author of Everything In Its Place
“A remarkable book . . . Novel, easy to read, and fun . . . I spent many years mastering genetics yet learned new and valuable things from this book.” —Robert Trivers, author of Wild Life: Adventures of an Evolutionary Biologist
