Shrinking the Cat: Genetic Engineering Before We Knew about GenesIn this timely and controversial work, Sue Hubbell contends that the concept of genetic engineering is anything but new, for humans have been tinkering with genetics for centuries. Focusing on four specific examples -- corn, silkworms, domestic cats, and apples -- she traces the histories of species that have been fundamentally altered over the centuries by the whims and needs of people. |
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User Review - NielsenGW - LibraryThingEvery living thing on the planet has been genetically modified. Each generation forces changes on the next. Most of the time, this modification is natural and inevitable, but sometimes a helping hand ... Read full review
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User Review - satyridae - LibraryThingHubbell's book is fascinating and absorbing. I loved the cogent explanation of ginger/not-ginger cat genes in the formation of calico cats. I liked the section on apples too, though Hubbell's ... Read full review
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alleles allowed American ancestors animals apple trees apples became become began better breeding bring brought called carried caterpillars cats century China Chinese chromosomes coat cocoons color corn course created developed diseases dogs domestic early East eggs engineering established experiment expressed farm feed fruit genes genetic give grafting grew growing grown hand human hundred industry instance interest Italy kill kind known land later learned leaves less live look mice moths mulberry mutations natural original pairs particular plants population problem produce questions race rats resistance result Romans seeds selection silk silkworms single sort species spread story things thought thousand tion took trade traits traveled trees turn understanding United varieties West wild wildcat worms
Popular passages
Page 166 - The Association of the Black (Non-Agouti) Gene with Behavior in the Norway Rat,
Bibliographic information
| Title | Shrinking the Cat: Genetic Engineering Before We Knew about Genes |
| Author | Sue Hubbell |
| Edition | illustrated, reprint |
| Publisher | Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2002 |
| ISBN | 0618257489, 9780618257485 |
| Length | 175 pages |
| Subjects | › › Science / Biotechnology Science / History Science / Life Sciences / Genetics & Genomics |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |