Creation: How Science Is Reinventing Life Itself

*A full executive summary of this book will be available at newbooksinbrief dot com, on or before Tuesday, July 9, 2013. As the blueprint of all that lives, DNA may be said to be the key to understanding life itself. It is incredible to think, then, that the structure of DNA was only discovered some 60 years ago (thanks especially to the work of James Watson and Francis Crick). Since that time, many significant advances in genetics have been made--including the deciphering of the genomes of numerous species (including our own); and, even more impressively, the successful manipulation of the genetic code to introduce the features of one species to another (for example, having a goat produce spider's silk out of its milk). As impressive as these feats are, though, they are but the beginning of what promises to come from the study of genetics. Indeed, compared with other sciences, such as physics and chemistry, genetics is still in its infancy, and we can be assured that the most significant discoveries and applications are yet to come. Even now, geneticists are making significant progress in uncovering the origin of life--meaning answering the question of just how life may have sprung out of lifeless chemistry--and are also making advancements in turning genetic manipulation into a standardized engineering science that is capable of churning out technological solutions in everything from food production to energy to medicine (a field that has been dubbed `synthetic biology'). It is these recent advances in genetics that are the main topic of Creation: How Science is Reinveinting Life Itself by science writer Adam Rutherford. Rutherford does a very good job of covering some of the most significant recent advances in genetics, and of explaining the science behind it. The author also does well to capture the promise of the recent advances, while at the same time acknowledging the significant obstacles that stand in the way of future progress. The offering is certainly more readable than George Church's latest book Regenesis: How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature and Ourselves--to which this book will rightly be compared. However, Rutherford (despite having a solid background in biology himself) does not have quite the insider's perspective that someone like Church does, which is the only drawback I see here. All in all a very good popular science book on a very important topic. A full executive summary of the book will be available at newbooksinbrief dot com, on or before Tuesday, July 9. A podcast discussion of the book will be available shortly thereafter.

The first part of this book introduces the reader to the field of genetics. No science background is needed to read the book - it starts with basic concepts of biology and incrementally introduces more advanced aspects of cells, proteins, viruses, and DNA. The author discusses the scientific concepts in a conversational manner, with many witty and insightful observations that make the book very readable. By the end of the first part, it was really impressive to see how many concepts in cellular biology had been covered. I felt like I had achieved a good basis for understanding articles about genetic engineering. The second part of the book delves into the current projects in genetics, from approaches to fighting cancer, to modifying food and agricultural crops, to technologies for astronauts to use. Had I read a book like this before going to college, I would have gone into the field of cellular biology. The book highlights the ways that the work in this field is critical for solving challenges in health, energy, and the environment. Many discoveries are happening through the convergence of science and engineering using the tools of synthetic biology. The book explains how cells can be designed and bred to become part of an arsenal of biological components and tools. The various cellular assemblages suggest routes for fighting disease, purifying environmental pollution, and finding new sources of energy. I see this book as instrumental to anyone that has to deal with companies that are in the healthcare/agriculture/pharmaceutical spaces. The book is helpful for understanding day to day science in the news, including concerns about genetic engineering of food, viruses, technologies, patents, etc - the reader will be in a much better place to evaluate the stories coming across the wire. These new technologies for genetic manipulation are accessible and found in many labs and schools. Groups of undergraduate students are now on teams competing to design and grow new types of cells. I am definitely going to pass this book along to my son to give him a vision of where things are going (I was surprised by how far the science has already come). Enjoy!

A little bit deep but fascinating. Expands your thinking about the world and life and yourself.