Darwinian Detectives: Revealing the Natural History of Genes and Genomes by Norm

Description: Darwinian Detectives by Norman A. Johnson Biology is often viewed today as a bipartisan field, with molecular level genetics guiding us into the future and natural history (including ecology, evolution, and conservation biology,) chaining us to a descriptive scientific past. In Darwinian Detectives, Norman Johnson bridges this divide, revealing how the tried and true tools of natural history make sense of the newest genomic discoveries. FORMAT Hardcover LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Publisher Description Biology is often viewed today as a bipartisan field, with molecular level genetics guiding us into the future and natural history (including ecology, evolution, and conservation biology,) chaining us to a descriptive scientific past. In Darwinian Detectives, Norman Johnson bridges this divide, revealing how the tried and true tools of natural history make sense of the newest genomic discoveries. Molecular scientists exploring newly sequenced genomes havestumbled upon quite a few surprises, including that only one to ten percent of the genetic material of animals actually codes for genes. What does the remaining 90-99% of the genome do? Why do some organismshave a much lower genome size than their close relatives? What were the genetic changes that were associated with us becoming human? As molecular biologists uncover these and other new mysteries, evolutionary geneticists are searching for answers to such questions. Norman Johnson captures the excitement of the hunt for our own genetic history. Through lively anecdotes, he explores how researchers detect natural selection acting on genes and what this genetic information tells us about humanorigins. Author Biography Norman A. Johnson, an evolutionary geneticist, is the author of numerous research publications, mainly in the genetics and evolution of reproductive isolation between nascent species. Johnson has taught at the University of Chicago, University of Texas at Arlington, and the University of Massachusetts, where he is currently an Adjunct Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant, Soil, and Insect Sciences. Table of Contents 1: The Baby with the Baboon Heart: Why Evolution Still Matters2: Why Intelligent Design Is Not ScienceInterlude 1: Natural Selection3: Negative Selection and the Neutral Theory of Molecular Evolution4: Detecting Positive Selection5: Balancing Selection and DiseaseInterlude 2: Human Origins and Evolution6: Finding Our Roots: Did "Eve" Know "Adam"?7: Who were the Neanderthals?8: Are We the Third Chimpanzee?9: What are the Genetic Differences that Made Us Human?10: Clicks, Genes, and Languages11: Who Let the Dogs in? The Domestication of Animals and Plants.12: Size Matters: Toward Understanding the Natural History of Genomes Review "Just about every topic under the banner "why genetics is important to understand and still amazing to many professional biologists" is covered in this compact book. What a delight to read about some well-chosen examples, glittering in succinct detail and presented in a manner designed to intrigue and captivate a general audience."--Reports of the National Center for Science Education"Along with addressing issues like ID and creation science, Johnson goes on to show how molecular biology confirms and extends the conclusions that scientists have used to support evolution. This is why this book is such a good read. Through his antidotal way of writing, Johnson is able to explain how researchers have discovered the ways natural selection work on gene, but he does it in a way that one just starting in their study of evolutionary biology canunderstand."--The American Biology Teacher"This volume is a worthwhile update for anyone who wants to see where comparative genomics is taking us."--Quarterly Review of Biology Long Description Biology is often viewed today as a bipartisan field, with molecular level genetics guiding us into the future and natural history (including ecology, evolution, and conservation biology,) chaining us to a descriptive scientific past. In Darwinian Detectives, Norman Johnson bridges this divide, revealing how the tried and true tools of natural history make sense of the newest genomic discoveries. Molecular scientists exploring newly sequenced genomes havestumbled upon quite a few surprises, including that only one to ten percent of the genetic material of animals actually codes for genes. What does the remaining 90-99% of the genome do? Why do some organisms have a much lower genome size than their close relatives? What were the genetic changes that wereassociated with us becoming human? As molecular biologists uncover these and other new mysteries, evolutionary geneticists are searching for answers to such questions. Norman Johnson captures the excitement of the hunt for our own genetic history. Through lively anecdotes, he explores how researchers detect natural selection acting on genes and what this genetic information tells us about human origins. Review Text "Just about every topic under the banner "why genetics is important to understand and still amazing to many professional biologists" is covered in this compact book. What a delight to read about some well-chosen examples, glittering in succinct detail and presented in a manner designed to intrigue and captivate a general audience."--Reports of the National Center for Science Education"Along with addressing issues like ID and creation science, Johnson goes on to show how molecular biology confirms and extends the conclusions that scientists have used to support evolution. This is why this book is such a good read. Through his antidotal way of writing, Johnson is able to explain how researchers have discovered the ways natural selection work on gene, but he does it in a way that one just starting in their study of evolutionary biology canunderstand."--The American Biology Teacher"This volume is a worthwhile update for anyone who wants to see where comparative genomics is taking us."--Quarterly Review of Biology Review Quote "Just about every topic under the banner "why genetics is important to understand and still amazing to many professional biologists" is covered in this compact book. What a delight to read about some well-chosen examples, glittering in succinct detail and presented in a manner designed to intrigue and captivate a general audience."--Reports of the National Center for Science Education "Along with addressing issues like ID and creation science, Johnson goes on to show how molecular biology confirms and extends the conclusions that scientists have used to support evolution. This is why this book is such a good read. Through his antidotal way of writing, Johnson is able to explain how researchers have discovered the ways natural selection work on gene, but he does it in a way that one just starting in their study of evolutionary biology can understand."--The American Biology Teacher "This volume is a worthwhile update for anyone who wants to see where comparative genomics is taking us."--Quarterly Review of Biology Feature This is the first book geared to the general public that explores how biologists use DNA information to address questions about the processes of evolution, and in particular natural selection. Other books (see below) have addressed how biologists can determine the dates of when humans and chimps split and like questions about our evolutionary history, but this is the first that goes into detail about how we detect the action of natural selection and otherevolutionary forces acting on genes.This is also the first book that discusses what we can learn from examining the chimpanzee genome in addition to that of our species.The last chapter (chapter 12) is devoted to properties of the genome (size, in particular). This is the first book for general audiences that addresses this subject in depth.The book is very current with many 2005 and 2006 references. These include discussions of the recent work on avian flu, the chimpanzee genome studies, the dog genome studies, recent dating of Neanderthal samples, and the Kitzmiller/Dover Intelligent Design trial and decision (from December 2005).Current "Event" Topics covered: Chapter 1 contains a discussion of the H5N1 bird flu strain and its potential to cause a flu pandemic in humans. Chapter 1 in its entirety outlines the practical importance of evolutionary studies, using timely examples to present the case. Chapter 2 is a discussion about the Intelligent Design movement, dealing both the scientific critique of ID as well as the political and religious underpinnings of the movement. The recent discoveryof the Flores "Hobbit Man" in the Interlude on Human Evolution, as well as at the end of the Chapter 7 (on Neanderthals). Chapter 7 is about Neanderthals, and whether they should be considered a separate species from humans or just a subspecies. Johnson presents several very recent studies that arenot included in the other books about this subject. Research based on the recent sequencing of the chimp genome is discussed in Chapters 8 and 9. Details ISBN0195306759 Author Norman A. Johnson Short Title DARWINIAN DETECTIVES Language English ISBN-10 0195306759 ISBN-13 9780195306750 Media Book Format Hardcover DEWEY 572.838 Year 2007 Subtitle Revealing the Natural History of Genes and Genomes Birth 1966 Edition 1st Imprint Oxford University Press Inc Place of Publication New York Country of Publication United States DOI 10.1604/9780195306750 UK Release Date 2007-09-13 AU Release Date 2007-09-13 NZ Release Date 2007-09-13 US Release Date 2007-09-13 Pages 256 Publisher Oxford University Press Inc Publication Date 2007-09-13 Illustrations 7 lineart, 10 halftones Audience Professional & Vocational We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. 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