Deep Ancestry: Inside The Genographic Project

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Binding: Paperback Dewey Decimal Number: 599.935 EAN: 9781426201189 ISBN: 1426201184 Label: National Geographic Manufacturer: National Geographic Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 256 Publication Date: 2007-11-20 Publisher: National Geographic Release Date: 2007-11-20 Studio: National Geographic
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Editorial Reviews: Travel backward through time from today's scattered billions to the handful of early humans who lived in Africa 60,000 years ago and are ancestors to us all. In Deep Ancestry, scientist and National Geographic explorer Spencer Wells shows how tiny genetic changes add up over time into a fascinating story. Using scores of real-life examples, helpful analogies, and detailed diagrams and illustrations, he explains exactly how each and every individual's DNA contributes another piece to the jigsaw puzzle of human history. The book takes readers inside the Genographic Project—the landmark study now assembling the world's largest collection of DNA samples and employing the latest in testing technology and computer analysis to examine hundreds of thousand of genetic profiles from all over the globe—and invites us all to take part.
Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: Wells coats his science in political correctness Comment: While his books are interesting, one thing that becomes abundantly clear to anyone with a working knowledge of ancestral genetics is that Wells goes out of his way to preach "we are all the same" and "race is meaningless". While both statements have an element of truth to them, they don't tell the whole story. Good scientific writers don't try to push a message. Rather, they lay the facts out and allow the reader to do with it what they will. There are very real, empirical genetic differences between ethnic groups--an indisputable fact embraced by serious medical geneticists. This may make some people uncomfortable and provide ammunition for racial bigotry, but playing a shell game with facts does a disservice to science and humanity. Customer Rating: Summary: Good things sometimes come in small packages Comment: Deep Ancestry is the story of us. Or the story of how scientists are figuring out the story of us. Meant to be an introduction to the National Geographic's Genographic Project, Deep Ancestry provides a summary of the complicated genetic discoveries being made by researchers every day. Author Spencer Wells uses real life people's stories to introduce concepts like haplogroups and population genetics in order to break up the technobabble that cannot really be avoided without entirely dumbing down the ideas he's trying to convey. A good chunk of the end of the book is a detailed appendix with entries describing each haplogroup (Y chromosome and mtDNA), including all the various markers that point the way to the groups earliest common ancestor. This section seems best suited to those who have purchased a DNA testing kit and want to research their test results. Customer Rating: Summary: An Interesting Foray into the Genetic Code Comment: This is the second book I have read by Spencer Wells, and I have found this one to be equally interesting. In this book you will learn about haplogroups, which identify people with similar genetic markers and how those markers are identified in the genetic code. There are two types: the mitochondrial (mtDNA) and the Y chromosome groups. Various maps in the book show where the many haplogroups had there probable origins. The evidence presented in the genetic code (Y chromosome), indicates that we had a common ancestor dating back about 60,000 years ago and this ancestor looked pretty much like modern humans today. What I found interesting was the sudden change of events about 50,000 years ago. All of a sudden we see the development of sophisticated art forms, the migration out of Africa, the development of speech and complex technology and a leap in brain function. One must wonder what was going on. I highly recommend this book, and if you want more information, you can go to the[...] Web site which discusses the genographic project in detail. It is a pretty cool site. Customer Rating: Summary: Amazingly boring. Comment: It is remarkable how an author can take an absolutely fascinating field of scientific research and turn it into a dreary bore of a book. Customer Rating: Summary: Too Basic Comment: This book seemed to rehash most known basic facts about genes and genetic history without adding any new or interesting material. May be a good book for someone just learning about genetic history but too boring for anyone with prior knowledge and interest. More Reviews