A Terrible Beauty is Born: Clones, Genes and the Future of Mankind

by Brendan Curran

Overview

Genetics and its related technologies are revolutionizing the world. The media is regularly dominated by controversy over the latest genetically modified (GM) food, human gene therapy or cancer chip technology. Maverick scientists are in the process of cloning humans, and the human genome sequence is available on the Internet. Fifty years ago we did not know what a gene was; today the awesome power of genetics is being released on an unsuspecting public, and with it a whole series of ethical dilemmas undreamt of even ten years ago. The question now has become not "can we?" but "should we?" By demystifying genetic engineering and exploring the basic biology of the living world, A Terrible Beauty is Born explains how clones and cloning technology are in many ways extensions of processes that occur constantly in nature. Used wisely these processes have the potential to bring enormous benefits; abused, they carry with them potential dangers that we ignore at our peril.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415287098
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	02/20/2003
Series:	Science Spectra , #3
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.40(d)

Table of Contents

Uniquely Similar! Incredible Journeys. What is it about the Nucleus? The Health of the Nation. Dealing with the Invisible. Awesome Analysis. Knowledge is Power. Molecular Magic. Miracle Cures. Beyond Belief. All is Changed, Utterly Changed.