Michael Crichton - Next

Michael Crichton's Next is a novel which highlights some of the current issues of genetics from the creation of transgenic animals to gene patenting.

The novel taught me things which I had not before thought about, including the question, what is a gene? Turns out scientists are still battling for one final definition.

Crichton's novels are entertaining and educational works, and he concludes Next leaving the reader with his stated opinions. Namely, Crichton opposes gene patenting as he feels anything occurring in nature, like a tree or a leaf, cannot be owned (in the sense of intellectual property, you can't patent a leaf...). Crichton also feels that patenting actually hinders capitalism and product creation due to unrealistic licensing fees.

As for the issue of cloning and transgenic animals, Crichton sees no point in trying to ban it since no attempt at controlling human behavior has worked thus far. People find a way to do what they want to do, and so it might as well be out in the open, where we can at least know about it and possibly regulate it.

I agree with Crichton on both points.

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Building Blocks of Human Life: Understanding Mature Cells and Stem Cells by John K. Young

Building Blocks of Human Life: Understanding Mature Cells and Stem Cells by John K Young was published under Recorded books modern scholar series.

It is an in depth set of lectures on human cells by John K. Young, professor of medicine at Howard University.

This book would serve well for someone looking for a review of human molecular biology, or for someone who wants to get a bit familiar with the terms, but the book failed in terms of making cell biology interesting. Young talks like someone who wants to make the material interesting, but fails. It is a common dilemma for professors.

Still the book does cover the cell functions, from composition of our organs, to our brains, nervous system, hormones, reproduction, and lastly, aging. It was a good book to have playing in the background and catch snippets.