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The Making of the Fittest: DNA and the Ultimate Forensic Record of Evolution Reprint Edition

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Sean B. Carroll (Author)
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Sean B. Carroll (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars 97 customer reviews
ISBN-13: 978-0393330519
ISBN-10: 0393330516
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 304 pages
  • Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; Reprint edition (September 17, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0393330516
  • ISBN-13: 978-0393330519
  • Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.9 x 8.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (97 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #245,778 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsA Primer of Evolutionary Theory for Beginners
By Edward F. Strasser on October 13, 2006
Format: Hardcover
Richard Dawkins wrote a very enjoyable book titled The Ancestors Tale. It traces our evolution backwards, from humans, through apes and monkeys and so on, back to simple one-celled organisms. It tells the who of evolution: which species were descended from which. The Making of the Fittest tells the how and why: how variations appear in organisms and why they survive, or don't. This is the story of natural selection. Darwin told the story, but a lot more has been learned since then, especially in recent decades, and Sean B. Carroll has been one of the discoverers. But, unlike many researchers, he can write a readable book for beginners.

Carroll focuses on DNA because that's of prime importance. When DNA is copied, for the reproduction of the cell or the organism, the copy is not always exact. The new variant is usually harmful, but might be helpful. Carroll shows, using elementary arithmetic, why helpful variants occur and prosper much more often that most people would guess. Keep in mind that, when a bad gene does come along, the organism usually dies and the gene disappears from the pool. The good genes usually accumulate.

Carroll tells the story mostly through examples. For example, we humans are descended from animals that could see only 2 colors. Carroll tells of the duplication of the gene for one of the colors and the mutation of the second copy to react to a third color. (I simplify; Carroll tells more of the story.) Duplication and subsequent mutation of genes is very important in evolution. It allows organisms to develop new capabilities without losing the old.

Another important mechanism involves genes which control the expression of other genes.Read more ›
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5.0 out of 5 starsDNA Makes an Unbeatable Case
By Rob Hardy HALL OF FAMETOP 1000 REVIEWER on October 31, 2006
Format: Hardcover
There is a notorious book for creationists titled _Evolution: The Fossils Say No!_ It gets right to its point in its title which accomplishes two things. One is to claim that fossils do not say what overwhelmingly biologists and geologists say they say. The other is to emphasize that fossils are the chief evidence evolution can muster. That might have been true a hundred years ago, but now, even if we had no fossils to study, we would still have wonderfully abundant evidence of evolution happening and just how it happened. We can now look directly at the DNA in animals that have evolved from previous ancestors and see indubitable chains of linkage. Sean B. Carroll, a professor of genetics, relates the stories scientists are coaxing from the molecules of genes in _The Making of the Fittest: DNA and the Ultimate Forensic Record of Evolution_ (Norton). He points out in his preface that there is wide public acceptance and understanding of DNA testing in solving crimes; DNA can provide testimony about who was present at a crime scene with far more trustworthiness than fingerprints or eyewitness recollection. Yet polls consistently show that something like half of the public in the United States are more likely to go with the anti-Darwinian ideas in _Evolution: The Fossils Say No!_ than they are to subscribe to the theory of evolution. It is Carroll's aim to have readers consider the DNA evidence for evolution as strong as DNA evidence from crime scenes, and his clear and entertaining book does just that. "Every evolutionary change between species, from physical form to digestive metabolism," he writes, "is due to - and recorded in - DNA. So, too, is the 'paternity' of species. DNA contains, therefore, the ultimate forensic record of evolution.Read more ›
9 Comments 78 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
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3.0 out of 5 starsNot As Good As His Last Book
By R. Albin TOP 1000 REVIEWER on October 27, 2006
Format: Hardcover
This is a solid but unexceptional popularization aimed at educating readers about how modern DNA sequencing - molecular methods have helped to explain the basis for adaptive changes and support evolutionary theory. Carroll produces a series of well written and illustrated chapters illustrating the fundamental genetic basis for adaptive changes. In doing so, he shows how this data vindicates and fleshes out basic features of evolutionary theory. This is done quite well but the book suffers from some significant defects. The last 3 chapters are largely tangential to the main thrust of the book. One is about the genesis of complex organs and developmental programs. This is ground that Carroll covered very well in his book Endless Forms Most Beautiful. This chapter is very good but doesn't add much to what he has written previously. Another later chapter is an analysis of the anti-evolution movement. This is solid essay but tangential to the topic of the book and the last chapter is a well written plea for more rational conservation and development measures to protect non-human species. I agree wholeheartedly with all Carroll writes on this subject but its not really an organic part of the book.

More important, Carroll has not addressed 2 important areas where some further discussion of molecular evidence would he very important. One is the use of sequencing data to generate phylogenetic trees and in general the whole crucial topic of molecular data as providing evidence for the unity of life is dealt with superficially. Most of Carroll's discussions are examples of within species evolution (microevolution); he doesn't address speciation (macroevolution). But many critics of evolution concede the existence of microevolution but dispute the reality of speciation. Carroll's omission of this topic is a major hole.
6 Comments 71 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsThis is an excellent book. It is detailed

This is an excellent book. It is detailed, wide-ranging in its topics and examples and still quite readable. Read more

Published 2 months ago by Peterdmiscall
4.0 out of 5 starsNot a good summer break read

Interesting material. Not a good summer break read.

Published 3 months ago by Gloria Coble
5.0 out of 5 starsExcellent for AP Biology!

Excellent book. I am an AP Biology teacher and was searching for a book that would be comprehensible and convincing to students - and support the College Board's "Big Idea... Read more

Published 5 months ago by L. D. Neubauer
5.0 out of 5 starsGreat greta books for anyone interested in evolution

Evolution at the level of DNA and genes. Really a great book.

Published 9 months ago by Karyn Pendergast
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Love it !

Published 11 months ago by Sirikorn Khumwan
5.0 out of 5 starsA Wonderful Book!!

Reviewed by Dr. Andrea Diem-Lane

In this country we use DNA every day. We use it in the court system and crime scenes; we use it in paternity tests; etc. Read more

Published 13 months ago by David C. Lane
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Biology student must have!

Published 13 months ago by Xianan Li
5.0 out of 5 starsFantastic

Fantastic treatment of evolution and undeniable facts for everyone to read. Sometimes the book may be hard to follow to people unfamiliar with biology and genetics, but still is... Read more

Published 14 months ago by Joelice
5.0 out of 5 starsA wonderful primer

Briefly studied phages in med school 50 years ago. Snippets of "the genetic revolution" in between. This has been a wonderful primer. I've given 3 copies as gifts.

Published 14 months ago by Douglas L Cone
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Thanks.

Published 14 months ago by Betsey Rolston

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