The Catalyst

RNA and the Quest to Unlock Life's Deepest Secrets

Thomas R. Cech

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Hardback

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English

Norton
27 September 2024

Mathematics & Sciences; History of science; Popular science; Genetics (non-medical)

For over half a century, DNA has dominated science and the popular imagination as the ""secret of life."" But over the last several decades, a quiet revolution has taken place. In a series of breathtaking discoveries, the biochemist Thomas R. Cech and a diverse cast of brilliant scientists have revealed that RNA-long overlooked as the passive servant of DNA-sits at the center of biology's greatest mysteries: How did life begin? What makes us human? Why do we get sick and grow old? In The Catalyst, Cech finally brings together years of research to demonstrate that RNA is the true key to understanding life on Earth, from its very origins to our future in the twenty-first century.

A gripping journey of discovery, The Catalyst moves from the early experiments that first hinted at RNA's spectacular powers, to Cech's own paradigm-shifting finding that it can catalyze cellular reactions, to the cutting-edge biotechnologies poised to reshape our health. We learn how RNA-once thought merely to transmit DNA's genetic instructions to the cell's protein-making machinery-may have jump-started life itself, and how, at the same time, it can cut our individual lives short through viral diseases and cancer. We see how RNA is implicated in the aging process and explore the darker depths of the supposed fountain of youth, telomerase. And we catch a thrilling glimpse into how RNA-powered therapies-from CRISPR, the revolutionary tool that uses RNA to rewrite the code of life, to the groundbreaking mRNA vaccines that have saved millions during the pandemic, and more-may enable us to improve and even extend life beyond nature's current limits.

Written by one of our foremost scientists, The Catalyst is a must-read guide to the present and future of biology and medicine.

By: Thomas R. Cech
Imprint: Norton
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 236mm, Width: 160mm, Spine: 28mm
Weight: 541g
ISBN: 9781324050681
ISBN 10: 1324050683
Pages: 304
Publication Date: 27 September 2024
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Thomas R. Cech is distinguished professor of biochemistry at the University of Colorado Boulder and an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. His many honors include the Nobel Prize and the National Medal of Science. He lives in Boulder, Colorado.

Reviews for The Catalyst: RNA and the Quest to Unlock Life's Deepest Secrets

Nobel laureate Thomas Cech takes us into the world of RNA with a story that's as enlightening as it is fascinating. It's a must-read for anyone interested in the molecule that has shaped life itself and is driving the future of science and medicine.--Jennifer Doudna, Nobel Laureate, co-inventor of CRISPR gene editing, and founder of the Innovative Genomics Institute Tom Cech led the way into what will be known as the age of RNA. When others were focused on DNA, Cech probed the mysteries of the then lesser-known, but wondrous molecule that creates the stuff of life and is a key to life's origins. The Catalyst vividly describes the marvels of RNA and the discoveries--from vaccines to gene-editing tools--that will shape our future. I am so glad Cech wrote this book.--Walter Isaacson, #1 New York Times best-selling author of Elon Musk and The Code Breaker