Human Evolution: Genes, Genealogies and Phylogenies

by Graeme Finlay

Controversy over human evolution remains widespread. However, the human genome project and genetic sequencing of many other species have provided myriad precise and unambiguous genetic markers that establish our evolutionary relationships with other mammals. Human Genes, Genealogies and Phylogenies identifies and explains these identifiable, rare and complex markers including endogenous retroviruses, genome-modifying transposable elements, gene-disabling mutations, segmental duplications and gene-enabling mutations. The new genetic tools also provide fascinating insights into when and how many features of human biology from aspects of placental structure, vitamin C dependence and trichromatic vision, to tendencies to gout, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Bringing together a decade's worth of research and tying it together to provide an overwhelming argument for the mammalian ancestry of the human species, the book will be of interest to professional scientists and students in both the biological and biomedical sciences.

Genres: Science

368 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 2013

Reviews

[Jude · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am an avid reader of books which cover the intersection of science and the Christian faith. There are many books which present the genetic evidence for evolution and common ancestry, but none such as this which present the evidence so clearly, and from a Christian author, no less. Two other popular science books I would recommend which focus on the genetic evidence are "The Making of the Fittest" by Sean B. Carroll and "Relics of Eden" by Daniel J. Fairbanks. Books about biological evolution or even paleontology or geology which are written by atheists are often treated as suspect in certain circles. There should be no such problem here once the reader is made aware that Graeme Finlay is a committed Christian who also writes articles for journals for Christians in the sciences. In this book, however, Dr. Finlay does not spend much time on the faith-science dialogue outside of the Prologue and Epilogue. This is a science textbook.

Dr. Finlay describes the genetic evidence for common descent clearly enough for a lay audience with a high school level of biology. He writes with flowing (but not flowery) prose and supplies many illustrations as needed. This is not a long book, but length is not needed. The topics covered include an introduction to Darwin's ideas and early genetics, retroviruses, transposable elements, pseudogenes, and the origin of new genes. Any one of the individual topics covered in this book could easily require a textbook itself. And along the way, you will learn a fair bit about how cancer works, as this is the author's area of expertise. If the purpose here is to convey only the genetic evidence that is needed to make an airtight case for the common ancestry of humans and other animals, the author has succeeded.

There are 280 pages of text and another 70 pages of references.

[Mills College Library]

599.938 F511 2013