Chance in the House of Fate: A Natural History of Heredity

ISBN-10: 0756771528
ISBN-13: 9780756771522
Series: Chance in the House of Fate
Pages: 252
Language: English
Published: 2004-02-01
Author: Jennifer Ackerman

Description

In the last few years, scientists have discovered that all living things are more deeply alike than we ever imagined. Organisms from yeast to humans are run by similar genes & proteins, which have passed down nearly intact for hundreds of millions of years. At the most fundamental level, humans are genetically linked to every part of the natural world. Here, Ackerman brings these astonishing discoveries together for the first time, weaving a mesmerizing story of heredity that is only now being understood. Her remarkable skills of description lend wonder & awe to the striking connections between our microcosmic makeup & the macrocosm of the visible world. Her voice is rich in imagery & poetry, vivid & deeply personal.