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The tangled tree
A Radical New History of Life
Book • 2018
In this book, David Quammen delves into the recent discoveries in molecular biology that have significantly altered our understanding of evolution and the history of life.
He discusses the concept of horizontal gene transfer (HGT), which reveals that genes have moved across species lines, including the fact that roughly eight percent of the human genome arrived through viral infections.
The book highlights key scientists such as Carl Woese, Lynn Margulis, and Tsutomu Wantanabe, and their contributions to understanding the complex 'tangled tree' of life.
Quammen also explores how these discoveries impact our understanding of public health issues, such as antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and how new technologies allow us to alter our genetic composition in ways nature has long been doing.
He discusses the concept of horizontal gene transfer (HGT), which reveals that genes have moved across species lines, including the fact that roughly eight percent of the human genome arrived through viral infections.
The book highlights key scientists such as Carl Woese, Lynn Margulis, and Tsutomu Wantanabe, and their contributions to understanding the complex 'tangled tree' of life.
Quammen also explores how these discoveries impact our understanding of public health issues, such as antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and how new technologies allow us to alter our genetic composition in ways nature has long been doing.
