This book is a readable introduction to both the exciting findings and exaggerated claims of modern genetics. The author describes, first, a growing (and somewhat chaotic) area of research that uses genetic analysis to uncover the relentless and complex occupation of planet Earth by a band of brainy and horny Africans, starting 100.000 years ago. He also describes how our genomes reveal the sexual contacts of our ancestors with other hominids (Neanderthals and Denisovans in particular), and how culture, technology and disease have interacted and changed our genomes. “Culture can become embedded in our cells just as it gets buried in the floors of caves, bogs and dwellings.”
But the debunking part is the best part of this book. The author shows how modern genetics has been used and abused by businessmen and charlatans of many sorts. Rutherford denounces the lies of the growing industry devoted to DNA ancestry, the false promises of gene therapy and genomics (“the number of diseases that have been eradicated as a result of our knowing the genome? Zero”), and the moral confusion and opportunism underlying the use of genetic analysis to excuse criminal behaviors. “Most human traits, behaviors and diseases are complex, with dozens or hundreds of genes playing a small part in concert with the inscrutable milieu in which they operate”. In short, it's complicated.
Adam Rutherford is not the heir of Richard Dawkins, Stephen Jay Gould or Daniel Dennet. He is not a disciplined writer. He can be repetitive and sloppy. Also, he spends too many words and iterations in trivial and secondary discussions: genes for ginger head and wet ear wax are cases in point. But he knows his topic and has written an informative and honest book.
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