A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived: The Human Story Retold Through Our Genes
Adam Rutherford, 2017
The Experiment
416b pp.
ISBN-13: 9781615194049
Summary
In our unique genomes, every one of us carries the story of our species—births, deaths, disease, war, famine, migration, and a lot of sex.
But those stories have always been locked away—until now.
Who are our ancestors? Where did they come from? Geneticists have suddenly become historians, and the hard evidence in our DNA has blown the lid off what we thought we knew. Acclaimed science writer Adam Rutherford explains exactly how genomics is completely rewriting the human story—from 100,000 years ago to the present.
A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived will upend your thinking on Neanderthals, evolution, royalty, race, and even redheads. (For example, we now know that at least four human species once roamed the earth.) Plus, here is the remarkable, controversial story of how our genes made their way to the Americas—one that’s still being written, as ever more of us have our DNA sequenced.
Rutherford closes with “A Short Introduction to the Future of Humankind,” filled with provocative questions that we’re on the cusp of answering: Are we still in the grasp of natural selection? Are we evolving for better or worse? And … where do we go from here? (From the publisher.)
Author Bio
• Birth—ca. 1974 - 1975
• Where—Ipswich, Sufffolk, UK
• Education—Ph.D., University College London Institute of Child Health
• Awards—Shortlisted, Wellcome Book Prize
• Currently—N/A
Dr Adam Rutherford is a British geneticist, author, and broadcaster. He was an editor for the journal Nature for a decade, is a frequent contributor to the newspaper The Guardian, hosts the BBC Radio 4 programme Inside Science, and has produced several science documentaries.
In addition to broadcasting, Rutherford has published three books related to genetics and the origin of life: Creation: The Origin of Life and Creation: The Future of Life, both issued in 2014, and A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived: The Human Story Told Through Our Genes, released in 2017.
Early life
Rutherford, who is half Guyanese Indian, was born in Ipswich in the East of England and attended Ipswich School.
He was admitted to the medical school at University College London, but transferred to a degree in evolutionary genetics, including a project under Steve Jones studying stalk-eyed flies. In 2002, he completed a Ph.D. in genetics at the University College of London's Institute of Child Health, at Great Ormond Street Hospital. His thesis subject was the role of a specific gene (CHX10) on eye development —specifically, the effect of mutations on the development of eye disorders.
Rutherford's other academic research was also on genetic causes of eye disorders, including the relation of retinoschisin to retinoschisis, the role of mutations of the gene CRX in retinal dystrophy, and the role of the gene CHX10 in microphthalmia in humans and mice.
Rutherford published two books on the creation of life — Creation: The Origin of Life and Creation: The Future of Life — which in the UK, because the two are printed back-to-back (so the book can be read starting at either end), have been collectively called "two books in one."
The first part of the book argues in support of the theory, first proposed by Thomas Gold, that life emerged not in primordial warm ponds, but in extremophile conditions in the deep ocean, while the second part discusses "synthetic biology" — the use of genetic modification to create new organisms. In the US the book is published in a more conventional format with the title, Creation: How Science Is Reinventing Life Itself.
Rutherford was the Podcast Editor and the audio-video editor for the journal Nature until 2013, responsible for all the publication's published audio, video, and podcasts. He also published audio interviews with notable personalities, including Paul Bettany on his role playing Charles Darwin in the movie Creation, and David Attenborough on his documentary Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life. He wrote editorials on other diverse topics ranging from the overlap of art and science to reviews of science-themed movies.
Rutherford is a frequent contributor to The Guardian, writing primarily on science topics. He wrote a blog series covering his thoughts and analysis while re-reading Darwin's On the Origin of Species. And he has written articles supporting the teaching of evolution in schools and criticizing the teaching of creationism as science.
Religion is another topic of interest to Rutherford, notably his authorship of a 10-part series on his experience participating in the Alpha course. His works are also included in the compilation, The Atheist's Guide to Christmas.
Rutherford also writes on New Age themes and alternative medicine, including a review critical of Rupert Sheldrake's A New Science of Life. He has written critically about the lack of controls on advertising claims for homeopathy.
As a guest writer, he published an article in Wired on the possibility of using DNA for information storage.
Broadcasting
Rutherford frequently appears on BBC science programs, on both radio and television. Since 2013 he has been the host of the program Inside Science on BBC Radio 4.
In 2012 he was featured on the series Horizon on BBC Two television in the documentary Playing God, which covered synthetic biology using the example of the "Spider Goat," a goat genetically modified to produce spider silk in its milk.
In 2011 he presented, on BBC Four, The Gene Code, a two-part series on the implications of the decoding of the human genome, and his documentary, Science Betrayed, detailed the story of the discredited link between the MMR vaccine and autism.
In 2010, The Cell, his 3-part series on the discovery of cells and the development of cell biology, presented on BBC Four, was included in the Daily Telegraph's list of "10 classic science programmes."
In 2006, Discovery Science produced the six-episode TV series, Men in White, in which three scientists, Rutherford, Basil Singer, and Jem Stansfield applied science to the solution of everyday problems.
He also appeared in BBC Radio 4's The Infinite Monkey Cage, with physicist Brian Cox, physician and science writer Ben Goldacre, author Simon Singh, musician Tim Minchin, and comedians Helen Arney and Robin Ince.
Rutherford is a frequent guest on the Little Atoms radio chat show, and he has also acted as a science advisor on programmes such as The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, and the film World War Z.
In 2011 he conceived and directed Space Shuttles United, a video and musical tribute to all the space shuttle missions. (Adapred from Wikipedia. Retrieved 10/12/2017.)
Book Reviews
Rutherford’s follow-up to his highly regarded first book Creation is an effervescent work, brimming with tales and confounding ideas carried in the "epic poem in our cells." The myriad storylines will leave you swooning.… Rutherford, a trained geneticist, is an enthusiastic guide. He is especially illuminating on the nebulous concept of race, how it both does and doesn’t exist. Rutherford has proved himself a commendable historian—one who is determined to illuminate the commonality of Homo sapiens.
Guardian (UK)
Fifteen years ago, the first sequence and analysis of the human genome was published. A monumental surge in genetics followed. Science writer and broadcaster Adam Rutherford rides that tide and traces its effects, first focusing on how genetics has enriched, and in some cases upset, our understanding of human evolution, then examining the revelations of recent findings, such as deep flaws in the concept of race.… Rutherford unpeels the science with elegance.
Nature
A sweeping new view of the human evolution story, using the latest science of DNA as the central guide.… Recommended.
Scientific American
(Starred review.) Rutherford raises significant questions and explains complex topics well, engaging readers with humor and smooth prose.
Publishers Weekly
At times, Rutherford succumbs to editorializing on peripheral topics, including creationism, epigenetics, and genetic determinism, but he continues to be a witty writer throughout…. By turns amusing and provocative. —Nancy R. Curtis, Univ. of Maine Lib., Orono
Library Journal
An enthusiastic history of mankind [through] DNA … followed by a hopeful if cautionary account of what the recent revolution in genomics foretells.… Often quirky but thoughtful—solid popular science.
Kirkus Reviews
Discussion Questions
We'll add publisher questions if and when they're available; in the meantime, use our LitLovers talking points to help start a discussion for A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived … then take off on your own:
1. Talk about some of the specific information DNA has turned up regarding "how our evolution has proceeded." Most especially, how has the new genetic learning upset the conventional wisdom about our human development?
2. Follow-up to Question 1: What is the story of the Neanderthals and our relationship with them? In terms of interbreeding, how does new knowledge contradict what has long been the accepted science? And the Denisovans: who were they?
3. How does Adam Rutherford response to the insistence that genetics is destiny? What is his view of the nature vs. nurture conundrum?
4. What light does DNA shed on race...and racism?
5. Rutherford delights in meanders and digressions, providing fascinating nuggets on subjects like earwax. What other stray topics does he light upon? How about the Vikings …or the so-called "warrior gene"?
6. What role have genes played in eradicating or curing diseases? Were you surprised by Rutherford's answers?
7. Discuss the case of sickle cell, and the way in which evolution can give with one hand while taking away with the other.
8. How does the author feel about companies that offer genetic testing to reveal individuals' personal ancestry?
9. How does Rutherford defend against the naysayers when it comes to the cost and danger of continuing genetic research? What are the arguments made against further study — and what is the author's defense for its continuation? What is your opinion?
10. What struck you most about A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived? What surprised you most? Was your own understanding of human evolution challenged … or affirmed?
(Questions by LitLovers. Please feel free to use them, online or off, with attribution. Thanks.)