This is what Dr. Matt Ridley's book, "Genome" (Hebrew: Dr. Emanuel Lotam. Scientific consultant: Prof. Doron Lantz of the Weizmann Institute; Zamora-Beitan Publishing) which has just appeared, deals with this.
Avi Blizovsky
A billion three-letter words from an alphabet of only 4 letters - this is the "language" of the human genome, the totality of 23 pairs of chromosomes whose mapping-reading was only recently completed.
The genome details the complete recipe for creation, development, operation, maintenance - everything required for the existence of the human being. "The Book of Life" they call it. In fact - the autobiography of the human race - from its beginning on earth to the present day.
This is what Dr. Matt Ridley's book, "Genome" (Hebrew: Dr. Emanuel Lotam. Scientific consultant: Prof. Doron Lantz of the Weizmann Institute; Zamora-Beitan Publishing) which has just appeared, deals with this.
Ridley, the science reporter for the "Daily Telegraph" and "Economist" and chairman of the International Center for the Study of Life in London, chose one gene from each chromosome - and thus built the 23 chapters of the book - which scan 4 billion years of life on Earth. He deals with the genes shared by man and bacteria, those that distinguish him from the chimpanzees, which are responsible for diseases, affect intelligence, traits, personality, character, behavior; Gives grammatical speaking ability, directs the development of the body, allows to remember. These are also the gardens that record the history of human migration between the continents.
The book (without illustrations) also deals with ethical, legal and sociological questions raised by the "Book of Life": who is allowed to look at it - the person himself, his government, his insurance company, his employers? Should he know that his body contains a gene for an incurable disease, do his doctors have to report or hide it from him and other issues.
