Genome - Libro en Inglés

Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters – Matt Ridley

The human genome, the complete set of genetic instructions contained in our DNA, is sometimes described as the book of life. In Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters, science writer Matt Ridley offers a brilliantly original way of exploring it.

Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, and Ridley devotes one chapter to each, picking a gene or a story from each chromosome and using it as a starting point to explore a different aspect of human biology and history. Along the way, he takes readers on a journey through the origins of life, evolution, instinct, intelligence, personality, disease, aging, memory, sex, free will and much more.

Ridley explains the science of genetics in clear, accessible language, from how genes work and how they are inherited to the discoveries of modern genetic research. He also explores the ethical, social and philosophical questions raised by our growing ability to read and manipulate the genome, including debates about genetic testing, eugenics and the balance between nature and nurture.

Written with wit, curiosity and a gift for storytelling, the book makes complex ideas engaging and memorable for general readers.

Fascinating and thought-provoking, Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters is a classic of popular science writing and an ideal introduction to genetics. Readers should note that the field has advanced greatly since the book was written, so some details reflect the state of knowledge at the time.