Summary

Every human being carries, within each of his or her cells, a long history of the species. The human genome is a record of evolution that stretches back to the first Homo sapiens and to the origins of life itself. Human genetics is the study of that information and its relationship to people's lives—how their bodies develop, how they behave, whether they are healthy or sick, and other aspects of human existence in which genes play a role.

What does it mean to be human? Human Genetics explores this compelling topic through a variety of perspectives. First, this book looks at human beings as individuals that arise through an interplay of genes and the environment, and then at the entire species as a product of the changes that have occurred in the genome. Coverage also includes studies of human molecules that have been applied in some fascinating ways, for example to solve historical mysteries, and how modern doctors try to identify the factors that make the body healthy or sick. Finally, this enlightening resource explores the rich variety of the human species—differences between individuals and groups, including questions like the genetic meaning of human races and how genes influence behavior and society.

Chapters include:

• From DNA to Human Beings
• The Evolution of the Human Genome
• Using Genetics to Solve Ancient Mysteries and Modern Crimes
• The Genetics of Health and Disease
• The Genetics of Behavior, Human Diversity, and Society
• A Look Into the Future: The Genetic Engineering of Human Beings?

Specifications

Full-color photographs and line illustrations. Index. Glossary. Chronology. Sidebars. Further resources. Web sources. Tables and charts.

About the Author(s)

Russ Hodge is a writer and science education expert at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in Berlin, Germany, one of the world’s leading biology institutes, where he writes books about science for the public and develops new teaching materials for high school students. He has written hundreds of articles for the press, including published interviews with world-renowned scientists such as Nobel Prize winners James Watson, Max Perutz, Roald Hoffmann, and Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard, as well as Stephen Jay Gould, Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza, Stephen Rose, Philip Campbell, and Harold Varmus.