Regenesis : How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature and Ourselves

**“Bold and provocative... __Regenesis__ tells of recent advances that may soon yield endless supplies of renewable energy, increased longevity and the return of long-extinct species."—__New Scientist__** In __Regenesis__, Harvard biologist George Church and science writer Ed Regis explore the possibilities—and perils—of the emerging field of synthetic biology. Synthetic biology, in which living organisms are selectively altered by modifying substantial portions of their genomes, allows for the creation of entirely new species of organisms. These technologies—far from the out-of-control nightmare depicted in science fiction—have the power to improve human and animal health, increase our intelligence, enhance our memory, and even extend our life span. A breathtaking look at the potential of this world-changing technology, __Regenesis__ is nothing less than a guide to the future of life. Wall Street Journal "In Regenesis... George Church and Ed Regis imagine a world where micro-organisms are capable of producing clean petroleum or detecting arsenic in drinking water, where people sport genetic modifications that render their bodies impervious to the flu, or where a synthetic organism can be programmed to invade and destroy cancer cells." Nature "The life sciences emerge as the new high-tech in this paean to synthetic biology... Each step in the genome's evolution serves as a springboard for expositions of how synthetic biology will revolutionize renewable energy, multivirus resistance, and more." New Scientist "Bold and provocative...Church and Regis offer a behind-the-scenes look at synthetic biology, a rapidly emerging field that is reprogramming the genetic code to create organisms and functions not found in nature. Regenesis tells of recent advances that may soon yield endless supplies of renewable energy, increased longevity, and the return of long-extinct species... Thought-provoking." io9 "[A] phenomenal read." Publishers Weekly "Exhilarating and scary facts suffuse this book about bioengineering by leading Harvard genetics professor and entrepreneur Church... When Church describes current work building microbes with minimal genes, the book takes off--and eventually soars... [A] stimulating book." Kirkus Reviews "[An] authoritative, sometimes awe-inspiring book... A valuable glimpse of science at the edge." Steven Pinker, Harvard College Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and author of How the Mind Works and The Better Angels of Our Nature "A thoughtful introduction to one of the great frontiers of science, one with the promise of literally saving the world... Engaging, readable, and thoroughly fascinating." Choice "Geneticist Church and science writer Regis take a novel evolutionary approach to explaining the science of synthetic biology... [A] highly readable book." “Bold and provocative... Regenesis tells of recent advances that may soon yield endless supplies of renewable energy, increased longevity and the return of long-extinct species."— New Scientist In Regenesis , Harvard biologist George Church and science writer Ed Regis explore the possibilities—and perils—of the emerging field of synthetic biology. Synthetic biology, in which living organisms are selectively altered by modifying substantial portions of their genomes, allows for the creation of entirely new species of organisms. These technologies—far from the out-of-control nightmare depicted in science fiction—have the power to improve human and animal health, increase our intelligence, enhance our memory, and even extend our life span. A breathtaking look at the potential of this world-changing technology, Regenesis is nothing less than a guide to the future of life. A Harvard biologist and master inventor explores how new biotechnologies will enable us to bring species back from the dead, unlock vast supplies of renewable energy, and extend human life. In Regenesis, George Church and science writer Ed Regis explore the possibilities of the emerging field of synthetic biology. Synthetic biology, in which living organisms are selectively altered by modifying substantial portions of their genomes, allows for the creation of entirely new species of organisms. These technologies-far from the out-of-control nightmare depicted in science fiction-have the power to improve human and animal health, increase our intelligence, enhance our memory, and even extend our life span. A breathtaking look at the potential of this world-changing technology, Regenesis is nothing less than a guide to the future of life. A heady overview of the emerging discipline of synthetic biology and the wonders it can produce, from new drugs and vaccines to biofuels and resurrected woolly mammoths. In this authoritative, sometimes awe-inspiring book, geneticist Church and veteran science writer Regis team up to explore how scientists are now altering the nature of living organisms by modifying their genomes, or genetic makeup.