Publisher's Synopsis
INHERITANCE -- the new book by award-winning geneticist and "New York Times" bestselling author Sharon Moalem, MD, PhD -- reveals how genetic breakthroughs are transforming our understanding of the world...and ourselves. Conventional wisdom dictates that our genetic destiny is fixed at conception. But Inheritance shows us that the human genome is actually far more fluid, fascinating and relevant then your 9th grade high school biology teacher would have you believe. Moalem draws on his profoundly wide-ranging and interdisciplinary approach to science and medicine to explain how history, art, superheroes, sex workers and sports stars can all help us understand our genes in a radically new way, both in our present lives and our children's future. Just a few things you'll learn in Inheritance: You might have gotten over the psychological trauma caused by childhood bullies...but your genes can remain scarred for life. The difference between being slim and obese might have more to do with micro-organisms in your gut than with the genes you inherited, or even what you eat. Insurance companies can use your genetic data to predict your (and therefore your children's) risk of disability-which can then impact the coverage decisions they make for you and your entire family. An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but for people with certain genes, it's a ticket to the coroner's office. Some people can smoke for their entire life and never get cancer-and Big Tobacco wants nothing more than to get a look at their genes. One of the most important examinations that can be performed by a geneticist doesn't involve actuall
