The Genomics Age: How DNA Technology Is Transforming the Way We Live and Who We Are

Description

In the history of mankind, few scientific phenomena have so profoundly changed the human experience as will the revolution in the use of DNA technology. Entertaining, informative, and written in plain English, The Genomics Age explores how recent leaps in the understanding of DNA offer astounding scientific promises -- and pose complex ethical issues. The Genomics Age probes the fundamental questions borne of advances in applied DNA science: Can we finally conquer cancer -- once and for all? Will we ever bridge the ideological and political divides in the stem cell debate? Does the rush to develop anti-aging drugs mean we are on the verge of finding the fountain of youth? As we genetically eliminate disease and pick and choose the attributes of our children, will knowing the code of life change what it means to be human? This groundbreaking work also discusses the rapidly expanding use of DNA technology to solve crimes, the business of genomics, and the implications for the economy and the investment community. As society grapples with the enormous challenge of a truly new frontier, we must all educate ourselves about the "what," even as we seek to answer the infinitely larger question of "why." The Genomics Age is the perfect place to begin.