Second Creation: The Age of Biological Control by the Scientists Who Cloned Dolly

by Ian Wilmut, Keith Campbell, Colin Tudge

Recounts how Dolly the clone sheep was created and covers the techniques for her predecessors, Megan and Morag, who were cloned from embryo cells. The authors explain the scientific reasons behind their research, discuss where they believe this technology will lead, and address the ethical issues that have been raised by Dolly's creation.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Sir Ian Wilmut, OBE FRS FMedSci FRSE (born 7 July 1944) is a British embryologist and Chair of the Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Edinburgh. He is best known as the leader of the research group that in 1996 first cloned a mammal from an adult somatic cell, a Finnish Dorset lamb named Dolly. He was appointed OBE in 1999 for services to embryo development and knighted in the 2008 New Year Honours.

Reviews

[Mari]

I read this as background to a novel I was writing, in about 2003. It was brilliant, easy to understand, and very interesting. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to understand the science behind cloning, and to also understand the scientists who work in the area. Was recommended to me by a friend who worked in biochemistry.

[Jackie Brown]

Normally scientists are pretty dry when it comes to writing, but Dr. Wilmut has really made this one exceptionally interesting. If you are interested in cloning whatsoever this book is highly recommended as a brief history and details of the work that went on to create Dolly the cloned sheep from start to finish.

[Bárbaro Ferro]

La historia de la clonación de Dolly sigue siendo interesante después de casi 20 años. La divulgación de problemas científicos complejos atrae a muchos lectores. El tema de este libro sigue siendo relevante.

[Alex]

"And although the story is complicated, it is biology, and biology is not physics: that is to say, it is not weird "

I think I'm going to love this book. :)

[Sarah]

This is a good read if a little slow. I enjoyed hearing what really went into the cloning of dolly and what it means more broadly for science. Reminds you that scientists with big, famous work are still people.