From Mendel's peas and Darwin's finches to Dolly the sheep and designer babies, this chunky little guide to biology, evolution, and genetics reveals how our genes shape our bodies and our lives, and how we in turn are beginning to shape our genes. Along with the basics of DNA and inheritance, science writer Tom Jackson discusses natural selection, Darwinism, stem cell and gene therapies, evo-devo biology, epigenetics, cloning, genetic engineering, and artificial life, as well as key biological concepts. In concise, two-page entries, the book explains these genetics topics in a way that makes them easy to understand, illustrated with black and white photos, drawings, or diagrams.