The Human Genome Project announced in 2003 that it had successfully mapped the human DNA. Scientists, politicians, theologians, and pundits speculated what would follow. Beyond Biotechnology: The Barren Promise of Genetic Engineering distinguishes between hype and reality, examining the delicate relationship between science and nature. Authors Craig Holdrege and Steve Talbott evaluate the current state of genetic science and examine its potential applications, as well as possible dangers. The authors illustrate how the popular view of genetics does not include an understanding of how genes work together within organisms, contending that these simplistic views lead to unrealistic expectations and, ultimately, disappointment. Written for lay readers, it is an accessible introduction to the complex world of genetic engineering.

Author Biography

Craig Holdrege is director of the Nature Institute. He is the author of Genetics and the Manipulation of Life: The Forgotten Factor of Context and The Giraffe's Long Neck: From Evolutionary Fable to Whole Organism. Steve Talbott is a senior researcher at the Nature Institute. He is the editor of the online newsletter NetFuture and the author of Devices of the Soul: Battling for Our Selves in an Age of Machines.