The DNA Detectives: How the Double Helix is Solving Puzzles of the Past [Paperback]

Anna Meyer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 28, 2006

What caused the Black Death? What really happened to the Russian Royal Family? Did Anastasia survive the Russian revolution? Could the unnamed victims of the Titanic be returned to their families? In The DNA Detectives, Anna Meyer provides a fascinating glimpse into one of the newest and most intriguing areas of scientific research. Any DNA that still exists in the remains of living things after their death is called "ancient DNA." But the death doesn't have to be recent — the DNA could be from an organism that died a few days ago, or from an extinct species, such as the Australian thylacine or the New Zealand moa, or from one that died tens of thousands of years ago, such as a Neanderthal or a mammoth. That DNA can survive for such a long time is one thing, but there is much more to it than that. The study of ancient DNA has been the key to some amazing discoveries. There's a whole smorgasbord of stories to sample — tales of murder, deadly disease, and mysterious disappearances, and even the origins of human life. From the Cretaceous period to the mysteries of the last century, the quest for ancient DNA is revolutionizing our picture of the past.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Watson and Crick had no idea what doors they were opening when they discovered the double helix structure of DNA. Now DNA is settling debates that have raged for centuries. Meyer presents some of history's greatest unsolved mysteries, unfolding each tale like a novel and showing how, in the end, one little molecule holds the key. Did young Louis XVII, son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, die in prison? What happened to the Russian princess Anastasia? Was the Black Death the same as the bubonic plague?Why was the 1918 influenza pandemic so deadly? New research into ancient DNA—which can be found in almost any well-preserved biological specimen less than 100,000 years old—is answering all of these questions and more. With a storyteller's flair, Meyer explains in simple terms the science that can finally settle the debate over the fate of the Neanderthals and answer the question: Could we ever clone an extinct species? Meyer packs a few jaw-dropping surprises even for history buffs, and the versatility of research into ancient DNA guarantees that there will be more answers unearthed in the future. We can only hope Meyer will regale us with those tales as well. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Addressing mysteries dispelled by DNA analysis, Meyer will appeal to readers who are interested in, but have scant knowledge of, the topics she raises. That includes DNA itself. After an introductory sprint through the double helix, Meyer sets the tone for her analysis by observing her husband's heavy brow ridge. Did she marry a Neanderthal? Impossible. That's the conclusive answer derived from tests on the original Neanderthal skeleton: H. sapiens is not descended from H. neandertalensis. Meyer picks up another popular idea, informed by the movie Jurassic Park--can scientists clone DNA to bring an extinct species back to life? Due to the molecule's fragility, wooly mammoths are unlikely ever to roam again, Meyers disappointingly reports. Forging ahead to recorded human history, Meyers samples pandemics clarified by DNA, such as the black death, and culminates with claimants to the French and Russian thrones--both were shown to be impostors by DNA. Acquainting her readers with the basic procedures of DNA investigation, Meyer sweetens the science and the history with an amiable sense of curiosity. Gilbert Taylor
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books; 1st Thunder's Mouth Press Ed edition (March 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560258632
• ISBN-13: 978-1560258636
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,341,973 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A shallow, but intersting investigation, September 19, 2006

By 

John Warwick "Your Pal" (Malvern, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The DNA Detectives: How the Double Helix is Solving Puzzles of the Past (Paperback)

I'll admit, Meyer's DNA Detectives was fun to read, but if you're expecting a detailed understanding of ancient DNA extraction you won't find it here. What you will discover is a basic understanding of how DNA can solve the mysteries of the past.
This book is perfect for the beginner, and presents a wonderful way to stir interest among the genetically illiterate. By solving the legends to convey the power of ancient DNA, Meyer convincingly displays what a valuable tool this technique will be, and is.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Genetics Takes On History's Mysteries, October 22, 2006

By 

William Holmes "semloh2287" (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The DNA Detectives: How the Double Helix is Solving Puzzles of the Past (Paperback)

"The DNA Detectives" is an engaging look at how the science of genetics can be used to solve zoological, anthropological and historical mysteries.

Were the Neanderthals the ancestors of modern day humans, or were they a completely different species that could never interbreed with homo sapiens? Could scientists someday clone dinosuars? How about a more recently extinct animal, like a wooly mammoth or a giant moa? Was the Black Death caused by bubonic plague--or was another pathogen to blame? Did the "Lost Dauphin" survive the French Revolution? Did Princess Anastasia escape the Bolsheviks? DNA offers the answers to all these questions and more.

Meyer's book offers fairly current solutions to these mysteries. At the same time, the book is light enough that it makes for quick and entertaining reading--the short chapters and paperback format make this an especially good book to enjoy on an airplane flight.

If genetics and history interest you, try Nicholas Wade's superb "Before the Dawn" (what DNA tells us about human evolution in 2006) or Sean Carroll's "The Making of the Fittest: DNA and the Ultimate Forensic Record of Evolution."

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Anastasia, the Black Death, and Jurassic Park, September 12, 2006

By 

Smallchief - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The DNA Detectives: How the Double Helix is Solving Puzzles of the Past (Paperback)

This is a lightweight book on a heavy subject: the use of DNA to solve mysteries of the past and to do neat things in your spare time such as clone a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

In a little more than 200 pages the author takes up several fascinating questions, including: Might it become possible to clone a dinosaur or a moa or a mastadon? Was Anastasia Romanov really murdered in 1918? Or did she survive? Did the Dauphin, Louis XVII, die in 1795? Was the "Black Death" the bubonic plaugue or something else? Did early humans make whoopee with Neanderthals? The author relates light and engaging stories about how scholars have used DNA extracted from fossil and skeleton cells to try to answer these questions. It is pretty amazing what can be done with DNA.

Is there a Tyrannosaurus Rex in our future? A mammoth or a moa seem more likely, but stay tuned. The author's science seems solid, but don't expect too much in the way of scientific heft in this book. It's a good quick read.

Smallchief