
As an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner, Menrva Books earns from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Combining myth, biography, and wit, this is a highly original depiction of cutting-edge science and its profound implications, told through the scientists who are rewriting life on earth.Throughout history, the scientists personalities have astonished us. From Galileo to Jonas Salk, they push and stretch societys boundaries though their great leaps of imagination and originality, providing us with everything from the wheel to rocket ships and penicillin. Today's masterminds in biotechnology promise lifespans up to 400 years, cures for cancer, and an end to pollution. But they are also capable of causing social upheavals with Frankenstein-like nightmare creations, as well as bioweapons.Award-winning writer David Ewing Duncan has written a startling narrative about science and personality, delving into stem cells, cloning, bioengineering, and genetics by telling the stories of the characters at the fulcrum of the science. He uses a unique method of tying in age-old stories and myths from Prometheus and Eve to Faustus and Frankenstein to ask the can we trust these scientists
This book investigates whether society can trust the modern scientists who possess the power to fundamentally alter the biological fabric of life. David Ewing Duncan, an award-winning science writer, utilizes a biographical framework to examine the personalities and motivations of contemporary figures working in biotechnology. By contrasting these modern innovators with historical archetypes and mythological figures, the author explores the tension between scientific progress and the potential for catastrophic social or environmental consequences.
What You Will Find
This work presents a narrative-driven approach to complex scientific ethics, prioritizing the human element behind technological advancement. The framing suggests an accessible entry point for readers interested in the intersection of biography, mythology, and the future of genetic research.
Page Count:
288
Publication Date:
2006-01-01
Publisher:
HarperPerennial
ISBN-10:
0007161840
ISBN-13:
9780007161843
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!