Customer Reviews

Aglow in the Dark: The Revolutionary Science of Biofluorescence

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This book consists of fascinating vignettes of an unlikely cast of characters: glow-obsessed scientists, lovers of microscopic worms, madcap Russians, and driven scholars. The book drops into each of their lives with keen reporting skills, and it culminates not only by leaving the reader with a detailed biography of the green protein, but also with a fascination for its awesome potential as science research continues to drive forward. The last chapter raises the provokative topic of mind control...
The authors draw the reader with them on a truly remarkable journey.

Best book I've read in a long time. Gruber and Pieribone do an excellent job of telling the fascinating story of the emergence of Green Fluorescent Protein, in down-to-earth language that doesn't require an advanced degree in science to understand. By tying together a series of seemingly isolated scientific discoveries throughout the world, the authors lay out the surprisingly interesting story of the many breakthroughs that led to the emerging use and dominance of the substance that has changed the world of science as we know it. I'd highly recommend this one, once you start it is hard to put down....very mind-stimulating!

Pieribone and Gruber report the science of green fluorescent proteins (GFP) in a way not usually encountered for science writing...that is leaving you wanting to know what happens next. From the first historical inquiries about glowing organisms to the marvelous, present day biotechnological uses of GFP, the authors narrate the life histories and trench work of the scientists primarily responsible for the discovery and scientific progression of fluorescent proteins in a very reader-inviting manner: with a lot of human interest, just enough science to allow you to know what they're talking about, and tons of oustanding pictures. Upon finishing the book, a reader may feel both entertained and an expert in fluorescent protein science at the same time!

This review is for the 2005 edition of this book which I checked out from the library of Arizona State University. This book covers the history of human research into biofluorescence, which is how life generates light without heat. This field of science started in Aristotle's time, but most research occurred in the 20th century after WWII. The book looks at the careers of various scientists involved in the research, and also explains the science itself. The difficulty of the text is beyond most high school students, and I would suggest some initial reading on biology, genetics and biochemistry before tackling this book. The book's size is small, with big words and occasional color pictures. Note that the emphasis of this book is on the science; the book does not provide a comprehensive coverage of biofluorescence in nature.

Are you working with GFP or other fluorescent proteins? This book is full of fascinating stories about the discovery and harnessing the power of fluorescent proteins. I couldn't put the book down - this is a must-read for all molecular biologists, but is probably easily accessible for non-professionals as well. I liked the design of the book, too. Will make an excellent gift.

I am studying dinoflagellate Lingulodinium polyedrum luciferase and fascinated by this book. It provides a comprehensive scientific backgroud in a format that can be understood by any reader with little or no scientific background. More over, the historical perspective is nicely blended in order to understand how the GFP and luciferases gained ground in last few years.
Loved this book!

Compulsive reading from cover to cover. Excellent expose and clear writing, with equally good pictures and diagrams.

As mentioned in the synopsis, this book contains much of the story behind the discovery and isolation of fluorescent proteins. But more specifically it's about the scientist's lives, and how their discoveries impacted future research. While the history lesson was interesting, it did not contain enough specifics on the biophysics of protein function for my taste. In light of the book being almost entirely a narrative, I would've enjoyed a few more pictures. If you want the inside story on Glo-fish, buy it, if you're looking for detailed information on GFP, and related proteins, skip it.