Did you know that most of our bodies' cells contain about 6 feet (2 meters) of DNA? Learn how DNA and genes determine each unique trait of plants and animals by taking a close look at the make up and structure of DNA.

There is growing enthusiasm in the scientific community about the prospect of mapping and sequencing the human genome, a monumental project that will have far-reaching consequences for medicine, biology, technology, and other fields. But how will such an effort be organized and funded? How will we develop the new technologies that are needed? What new legal, social, and ethical questions will be raised? Mapping and Sequencing the Human Genome is a blueprint for this proposed project. The authors offer a highly readable explanation of the technical aspects of genetic mapping and sequencing, and they recommend specific interim and long-range research goals, organizational strategies, and funding levels. They also outline some of the legal and social questions that might arise and urge their early consideration by policymakers.

A genome is an organism's complete set of DNA, including all of its genes. Each genome contains all of the information needed to build and maintain that organism. In humans, a copy of the entire genome-more than three billion DNA base pairs-is contained in all cells that have a nucleus. Developmental Genetics studies how the genes regulate developmental changes in behavior and influence scientific approaches in several fields. It highlights the interdisciplinary approach of developmental genetics with new revolutionary technologies and details how these advances have accelerated our understanding of the molecular genetic processes that regulates development. Chromosomes come in matching sets of two (or pairs) and there are hundreds-sometimes thousands-of genes in just one chromosome. The chromosomes and genes are made of DNA, which is short for deoxyribonucleic. Genes, Genomes, and Genomics, with chapters written by internationally renowned experts, provide an enormous reservoir of new information in the various theoretical and applied aspects of unravelling the secrets hidden in the genes of plants, animals and microorganisms. A gene is the basic physical and functional unit of heredity. Genes, which are made up of DNA, act as instructions to make molecules called proteins. In humans, genes vary in size from a few hundred DNA bases to more than two million bases. Moreover, the book presents a thorough overview of a wide array of methodologies from classical genetics to modern genomics technologies.

A top behavioral geneticist makes the case that DNA inherited from our parents at the moment of conception can predict our psychological strengths and weaknesses. In Blueprint, behavioral geneticist Robert Plomin describes how the DNA revolution has made DNA personal by giving us the power to predict our psychological strengths and weaknesses from birth. A century of genetic research shows that DNA differences inherited from our parents are the consistent lifelong sources of our psychological individuality—the blueprint that makes us who we are. Plomin reports that genetics explains more about the psychological differences among people than all other factors combined. Nature, not nurture, is what makes us who we are. Plomin explores the implications of these findings, drawing some provocative conclusions—among them that parenting styles don't really affect children's outcomes once genetics is taken into effect. This book offers readers a unique insider's view of the exciting synergies that came from combining genetics and psychology. The paperback edition has a new afterword by the author.

A clear and straightforward explanation of genetics in this new edition of the popular 101 series. Our genetic makeup determines so much about who we are, and what we pass on to our children—from eye color, to height, to health, and even our longevity. Genetics 101 breaks down the science of how genes are inherited and passed from parents to offspring, what DNA is and how it works, how your DNA affects your health, and how you can use your personal genomics to find out more about who you are and where you come from. Whether you’re looking for a better scientific understanding of genetics, or looking into your own DNA, Genetics 101 is your go-to source to discover more about both yourself and your ancestry.