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A Grain of Truth debunks the myth that growing public distrust of genetically modified organisms can be attributed to scientific illiteracy or sensationalistic news stories. Media coverage of these issues has been dominated by the spokespersons of industry_yet evidence of consumer uncertainty has been available all along. The roots of the controversy are visible in press coverage and public opinion polls over the past decade, covering everything from the manufacture of growth hormones used in dairy cows through the cloning of Dolly the sheep to the appearance of the so-called 'terminator gene.' Arguing neither for nor against genetic engineering and other forms of biotechnology, this book charges both media and industry with ignoring the concerns of the general public and encourages greater public debate over biotech and other such complex issues.
When it comes to extraterrestrials, UFOs, crop circles, and ancient-astronaut literature, most intelligent readers are repulsed by New Age hype, turned off by Erik Van Daniken, flustered by blatant pseudo-science, and deeply chagrined at how even the History Channel got dragged into the tabloid and sensational. Yet many intelligent, open-minded readers harbor secret interests: in the Great Pyramid and how it was built, in mythic tales of sky gods coming and going, from Ezekiel to the Rig-Veda. They are awed by the intricate fractals in crop circles, and they more than take notice when a NASA astronaut says he was trailed in space by UFOs. That questioning readership, however, swims in a vast sea of agnosticism—curious but not convinced. And there just aren't any books for them. None they can trust. None that reaches them. None that transcends tabloid fantasies to authentically treat issues with enough dispassion and scholarly erudition not to insult their intelligence. Here, Dr. Kroth gives the run-down on a wide range of evidence, and ponders how reliable any of it may be. Readers are left with all the elements to form their own equation.
In the age of 9/11, the Iraq War, financial collapse, and Amber Alerts, our society is defined by fear. So it's not surprising that three out of four Americans say they feel more fearful today then they did twenty years ago. But are we living in exceptionally dangerous times? In The Culture of Fear, sociologist Barry Glassner demonstrates that it is our perception of danger that has increased, not the actual level of risk. Glassner exposes the people and organizations that manipulate our perceptions and profit from our fears, including advocacy groups that raise money by exaggerating the prevalence of particular diseases and politicians who win elections by heightening concerns about crime, drug use, and terrorism. In this new edition of a classic book - more relevant now than when it was first published - Glassner exposes the price we pay for social panic.
Drawing the Map of Life is the dramatic story of the Human Genome Project from its origins, through the race to order the 3 billion subunits of DNA, to the surprises emerging as scientists seek to exploit the molecule of heredity. It's the first account to deal in depth with the intellectual roots of the project, the motivations that drove it, and the hype that often masked genuine triumphs. Distinguished science journalist Victor McElheny offers vivid, insightful profiles of key people, such as David Botstein, Eric Lander, Francis Collins, James Watson, Michael Hunkapiller, and Craig Venter. McElheny also shows that the Human Genome Project is a striking example of how new techniques (such as restriction enzymes and sequencing methods) often arrive first, shaping the questions scientists then ask. Drawing on years of original interviews and reporting in the inner circles of biological science, Drawing the Map of Life is the definitive, up-to-date story of today's greatest scientific quest. No one who wishes to understand genome mapping and how it is transforming our lives can afford to miss this book.
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This is the story of a profound revolution in the way biologists explore life's history, understand its evolutionary processes, and reveal its diversity. It is about life's smallest entities, deepest diversity, and greatest cellular biomass: the microbiosphere. Jan Sapp introduces us to a new field of evolutionary biology and a new brand of molecular evolutionists who descend to the foundations of evolution on Earth to explore the origins of the genetic system and the primary life forms from which all others have emerged. In so doing, he examines-from Lamarck to the present-the means of pursuing the evolution of complexity, and of depicting the greatest differences among organisms. The New F...
In this book, Page addresses the range of issues that need to be considered in establishing a materials policy. They introduce the notion of equity and fairness based on John Rawls' original position, suggesting that representatives of the future would be unlikely to accept today's market allocation of virgin material extraction. This is built upon by addressing the many interrelated issues systematically. The result being a new perspective and synthesis that will be of interest to students and scholars alike.
Gregory Pence offers a candid look at the arguments for and against human cloning.
Constitutional Law: Cases, Materials, and Problems, Fifth Edition by Russell L. Weaver, Steven Friedland, and Richard Rosen is designed as a teacher’s book by stimulating thought, inviting discussion, and helping profess
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