Life's Greatest Secret

The Race to Crack the Genetic Code

Professor Matthew Cobb

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Paperback

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English

Profile
22 June 2016

Mathematics & Sciences; History of science; Popular science; DNA & Genome

Life's Greatest Secret is the story of the discovery and cracking of the genetic code. This great scientific breakthrough has had far-reaching consequences for how we understand ourselves and our place in the natural world. The code forms the most striking proof of Darwin's hypothesis that all organisms are related, holds tremendous promise for improving human well-being, and has transformed the way we think about life.

Matthew Cobb interweaves science, biography and anecdote in a book that mixes remarkable insights, theoretical dead-ends and ingenious experiments with the pace of a thriller. He describes cooperation and competition among some of the twentieth century's most outstanding and eccentric minds, moves between biology, physics and chemistry, and shows the part played by computing and cybernetics. The story spans the globe, from Cambridge MA to Cambridge UK, New York to Paris, London to Moscow. It is both thrilling science and a fascinating story about how science is done.

By: Professor Matthew Cobb
Imprint: Profile
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Edition: Main
Dimensions: Height: 198mm, Width: 128mm, Spine: 32mm
Weight: 395g
ISBN: 9781781251416
ISBN 10: 178125141X
Publication Date: 22 June 2016
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Matthew Cobb is Professor of Zoology at the University of Manchester where his research focuses on the sense of smell, insect behaviour and the history of science. His books include The Egg & Sperm Race and acclaimed accounts of the French Resistance during the Second World War and the liberation of Paris in 1944.

Reviews for Life's Greatest Secret: The Race to Crack the Genetic Code

It is to Cobb's considerable credit that he manages to provide such an authoritative but nevertheless thrilling narrative, while also establishing, on a more serious level, how the genetic code has made its impact on everyday life 50 years since its discovery. In short, this is a first-class read. -- Robin McKie * Observer *