X-Message-Number: 16421 From: Date: Mon, 4 Jun 2001 13:56:01 EDT Subject: Book Endorsement, "Genome" by Matt Ridley Hello, Fellow Cryonet Readers/posters/lurkers. Rudi Hoffman writing from Daytona Beach. I just finished a wonderful book by Matt Ridley. "Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters." I love great Science books in general, and this one is especially relevant to us as life extenders and cryonicists. Clearly and scientifically, much of who we *are* is a function of our genetic heritage. What is so remarkable about DNA is that each an every cell has our full genome in it (More or less...sex cells may not), but each cell only has certain genes "turned on" to express as structure. So, I could not do an adequate job of summarizing the book here, so I will not try. But it is a thrilling and inspiring book, explaining how each of us carry the genetic text of our ancient evolutionary ancestors. (Humans and chimps share some 98% of DNA, Gorillas and human DNA is about a 97% match.) If there was any doubt in any thinking persons mind about the reality of evolution, the realities of genetic analysis should surely convince all but the most hardened of religious brains. I will heartily recommend this book to those interested in human nature, inheritance, popular "cutting edge" science and technology, and determining how folks like us can take charge of our own evolution. Respectfully Submitted, Rudi Hoffman Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=16421