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From One Cell: A Journey into Life's Origins and the Future of Medicine
Inside the quest to unlock the mysteries of development―and find the key to transforming our future. Each of us began life as a single cell. From this humble origin, we embarked on a risky journey fraught with opportunities for disaster. Yet, amazingly, we reached our destination intact, emerging as dazzlingly complex, exquisitely engineered assemblages of trillions of cells. This metamorphosis constitutes one of nature’s most spectacular yet commonplace magic tricks―and one of its most coveted secrets. In From One Cell, physician and researcher Ben Stanger offers a breathtaking glimpse into what scientists are discovering about how life and the body take shape, and how these revelations stand to revolutionize medicine and the future of human health. In vivid prose, Stanger leads readers on a gripping odyssey retracing this universal, yet unremembered, rite of passage. Through the eyes of the scientists unraveling development’s riddles in experiments as painstaking as they are inventive, we confront fascinating how does the plethora of different tissues that compose our bodies arise from a single source? How do cells know what they are meant to become―skin or bone, blood or muscle―when all carry the same set of genetic instructions? Once a cell starts developing down one path, can it change its mind, or is its destiny irrevocably sealed? As Stanger shows us, the answers to these questions may at last empower us to solve some of our most persistently confounding medical challenges, from cancer to cognitive decline to degenerative disease. Recognizing tumors as evil doppelgangers of the embryo points the way toward new, more targeted cancer therapies. Learning how cells choose their identities and find their way in space could unlock lifesaving breakthroughs in regenerative medicine. The possibilities are extraordinary. Popular science at its best, From One Cell celebrates the power and beauty of understanding our collective beginnings. 40 illustrations
368 pages, Paperback
Published August 6, 2024
110 people are currently reading
5553 people want to read
About the author
Ben Stanger
1 book26 followersBen Stanger is the Hanna Wise Professor in Cancer Research and a professor of medicine and cell and developmental biology at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a practicing physician with Penn Medicine. He lives in the suburbs of Philadelphia.
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December 30, 2023WSJ review: https://www.wsj.com/articles/from-one...
(Paywalled. As always, I'm happy to email a copy to non-subscribers)
Excerpt:
". . . despite considerable progress in the field of evolutionary development, or evo-devo, the generative rules of biology have not yet been adequately defined. In his insightful and erudite “From One Cell,” the University of Pennsylvania doctor and researcher Ben Stanger details the “foundational discoveries” that have contributed to our current understanding. All were made in model systems of differing complexities, ranging from viruses and bacteria to sea anemones, flies, frogs and mice."
I'm not thrilled with the history-0f-science approach -- all the way back to Aristotle! But he writes well, and it is interesting history. Might be a bit of a slog. Time will tell.
(Paywalled. As always, I'm happy to email a copy to non-subscribers)
Excerpt:
". . . despite considerable progress in the field of evolutionary development, or evo-devo, the generative rules of biology have not yet been adequately defined. In his insightful and erudite “From One Cell,” the University of Pennsylvania doctor and researcher Ben Stanger details the “foundational discoveries” that have contributed to our current understanding. All were made in model systems of differing complexities, ranging from viruses and bacteria to sea anemones, flies, frogs and mice."
I'm not thrilled with the history-0f-science approach -- all the way back to Aristotle! But he writes well, and it is interesting history. Might be a bit of a slog. Time will tell.
November 14, 2023
A great book. The great beauty of the biological world in one cell. I am really looking forward to the future of biology. So many interesting new things to be discovered in this field.
This book is like a detective book and a much better one because it is true.
This book is like a detective book and a much better one because it is true.
July 2, 2024
Everything a good popular science book aspires to be: accessible, informative, and inspirational.
The embryo is such a fascinating subject matter in biology, perhaps the central question lying at the heart of biology itself. The piercing way Ben goes into these concepts, immersing the reader into the world of the scientists making the discovery, was very well done.
The questions he poses, such as what determines the size of the fully developed organism or how epigenetics are modulated or passed on, while seemingly such critical questions, are still to be discovered. This is something that makes me so excited to see where this amazing field of embryogenesis and the future of medicine brings us.
The embryo is such a fascinating subject matter in biology, perhaps the central question lying at the heart of biology itself. The piercing way Ben goes into these concepts, immersing the reader into the world of the scientists making the discovery, was very well done.
The questions he poses, such as what determines the size of the fully developed organism or how epigenetics are modulated or passed on, while seemingly such critical questions, are still to be discovered. This is something that makes me so excited to see where this amazing field of embryogenesis and the future of medicine brings us.
August 20, 2025
I cannot even begin to speak about how much I enjoyed this book! I have stepped away from science since completing my biology degree and moving on to nursing so I knew jumping into this book would be a tough read but an enjoyable one. It really reminded me why I have always loved science, developmental biology specifically. It took concepts I struggled to grasp in undergrad and made them easily digestible and enjoyable to read. It would be the perfect read for an upper level biology course or anyone really who questions how life begins. It touched on my past love and my science and my current love of oncology and really opened my eyes to so much! I took so many things from this book and would recommend it to any and all biology nerds like myself!
June 17, 2025
the cancer x embryogenesis connection is interesting
May 3, 2024
Probably more like 3.5.
However, three errors toward the beginning of the book turned me off a little. Spelling “divisions” as “devisions” was a clearly a typo in one of the figures.
“Neopolitan” instead of “Neapolitan”? Seems like the author may not have known the correct spelling.
But stating that the diaphragm is smooth muscle is just incorrect. It’s made of skeletal muscle. Most A&P students learn this.
Errors like these that I picked up on make me question what other information was inaccurate.
However, three errors toward the beginning of the book turned me off a little. Spelling “divisions” as “devisions” was a clearly a typo in one of the figures.
“Neopolitan” instead of “Neapolitan”? Seems like the author may not have known the correct spelling.
But stating that the diaphragm is smooth muscle is just incorrect. It’s made of skeletal muscle. Most A&P students learn this.
Errors like these that I picked up on make me question what other information was inaccurate.
December 20, 2023
Embryogenesis is one of the most fascinating of deep-thought topics.
🥰🥰🥰
🥰🥰🥰
March 20, 2025
I particularly enjoyed the last chapter, "Day Science and Night Science" - reading that whole section made me want to get a job in a lab and just start some Night meandering. I share the author's concerns that the focus on practical applications (read: ways [for pharmaceutical companies] to make money) over general knowledge gathering is a huge problem in science, particularly advances move so fast these days that there's just more info out there than any one person can know.
Having read The Emperor of All Maladies, and reading The Philadelphia Chromosome at the same time I was reading this, the discussion of the history of developmental biology research and cancer research wasn't particularly gripping (I think it was about as well done as Mukherjee's, but it didn't really add anything), so it was really the latter part of the book that grabbed my attention.
For me, I enjoyed this more than Human Error because it went into more detail, but the abundance of scientific terms and technical details could be a problem for a general reader - it's not as accessible as a lot of the other pop science I've read, so keep that in mind if you're looking for something to read. I loved the detail, though - for me it's the ideal amount between a general pop science book like Human Error, and an actual biology textbook.
Having read The Emperor of All Maladies, and reading The Philadelphia Chromosome at the same time I was reading this, the discussion of the history of developmental biology research and cancer research wasn't particularly gripping (I think it was about as well done as Mukherjee's, but it didn't really add anything), so it was really the latter part of the book that grabbed my attention.
For me, I enjoyed this more than Human Error because it went into more detail, but the abundance of scientific terms and technical details could be a problem for a general reader - it's not as accessible as a lot of the other pop science I've read, so keep that in mind if you're looking for something to read. I loved the detail, though - for me it's the ideal amount between a general pop science book like Human Error, and an actual biology textbook.
June 25, 2025
All life started with one cell. The cell, given certain environmental conditions, divides. As it divides, directed by DNA, it forms smaller and smaller copies of itself. These copies form a hollow ball. Depending on whether one of these cells is on the outside or inside or front or back of the ball and given certain environmental conditions, the cells keep dividing but now differentiate. Eventually a new form arises, a multicellular organism with organs.
But way hey, this is too complex. It is back to viruses, bacteriophages, bacteria and unicellular organisms to uncover DNA, mRNA, gene regulation and mutation. Then onwards to breed heaps of simple multicellular organisms such as fruit flies, frogs and worms. It is all a balance between control and plasticity and it is all very very complex. The explanations are akin to a summarised text book.
There are a lot of well known and not so well known scientists along the way and prevailing canons aka assumptions to test as well as new technology and methods to invent. Most advances came about during the 1970's onwards, when cell biology, evolution and molecular biologists got together.
There are lots of descriptions of lab experiments with different stages of the developing cell, from transplanting and gene editing the nucleus to cloning embryos. The latter part of the book is about the author's work growing cancer tumours on mice.
But is the book it a journey into life's origins as it states on the cover? We don't find out how the cell evolved, so no, not from that perspective. We don't find out what makes a cell work (apart from protein synthesis), so no, not from that perspective. We start from a fertilised egg, but we don't find out about mitosis or meiosis, so no, not from that perspective. Hmm.
Is it a book about the future of medicine? Not really. So much is still unknown and human bodies are so complex that applying what we have learned is severely constrained by the lack of extensive foundational science. And ethics. Life is perpetually inventive and tricky to emulate.
It appears to be a book about the science history underpinning that which allowed the author to carry out his research and a summary of that research. This appears to be an example of fundamental research, presumably because it hasn't lead to direct economic or medicinal impacts.
Still, it is an interesting and endlessly fascinating journey, discovering the what and how of cells. The book is well written with an upbeat tone and there are a few helpful diagrams.
But way hey, this is too complex. It is back to viruses, bacteriophages, bacteria and unicellular organisms to uncover DNA, mRNA, gene regulation and mutation. Then onwards to breed heaps of simple multicellular organisms such as fruit flies, frogs and worms. It is all a balance between control and plasticity and it is all very very complex. The explanations are akin to a summarised text book.
There are a lot of well known and not so well known scientists along the way and prevailing canons aka assumptions to test as well as new technology and methods to invent. Most advances came about during the 1970's onwards, when cell biology, evolution and molecular biologists got together.
There are lots of descriptions of lab experiments with different stages of the developing cell, from transplanting and gene editing the nucleus to cloning embryos. The latter part of the book is about the author's work growing cancer tumours on mice.
But is the book it a journey into life's origins as it states on the cover? We don't find out how the cell evolved, so no, not from that perspective. We don't find out what makes a cell work (apart from protein synthesis), so no, not from that perspective. We start from a fertilised egg, but we don't find out about mitosis or meiosis, so no, not from that perspective. Hmm.
Is it a book about the future of medicine? Not really. So much is still unknown and human bodies are so complex that applying what we have learned is severely constrained by the lack of extensive foundational science. And ethics. Life is perpetually inventive and tricky to emulate.
It appears to be a book about the science history underpinning that which allowed the author to carry out his research and a summary of that research. This appears to be an example of fundamental research, presumably because it hasn't lead to direct economic or medicinal impacts.
Still, it is an interesting and endlessly fascinating journey, discovering the what and how of cells. The book is well written with an upbeat tone and there are a few helpful diagrams.
February 13, 2024
Good book about developmental biology specifically, but also about science in general. People, like all animals, start off as a single cell. We have DNA, which has been called a “blueprint,” but unlike a building construction site there is no primary contractor or project manager — there’s no one organizing the whole thing. Cells divide, but how do they differentiate and form structures such as bones and organs. How are cells so different when they all have the same DNA? Lots of history of the field and lots of explanations. And to the author’s credit, forthrightness about what we still don’t know. Some big sections about how all of this relates to cancer and to various genetic treatments for disease. Some parts were overly detailed for my taste, but it was easy to skim over them.
October 31, 2023
"Run of the mill microbiology book" may not sound enticing, but within its pages, I discovered numerous intriguing insights for the very first time. If you have any interest in this genre of books, I recommend giving it a read.
June 7, 2024
An excellent book delving into the marvel of how life develops and the future of regenerative medicine.
July 29, 2024
As far as popular science books go, this one is on the denser and more technical side. Nary an equation is seen, but the book is full of biological jargon that can get overwhelming and hard to keep straight. Still, the topic is interesting, and the book is a helpful guide to the field.
The book's premise is the question of how an organism grows from a single cell - the zygote - during embryonic development, a topic that we know surprisingly little about. The book goes through the history of the study around this question and a lot of major milestones in our understanding of biology, delving into the different theories people had at different times and the experimental breakthroughs that led to leaps in knowledge. One of the things that surprised me in reading it is how much of what we know today about biology is very recent - it felt like most of the major discoveries were made between the 1950s and the present day, and a great deal is still left unknown.
A lot of the first half or so of the book felt like retreading old ground for me, but a great deal of the latter part of the book was new to me. Most striking was the description of 'chimeras' - organisms made by mixing early-stage embryonic cells from two different embryos and carrying them to term. When I learned in this book that a goat-sheep chimera had been created - and grew to adulthood, and was fertile - and immediately I was greeted by a photograph of this 'geep'... well, I was thunderstruck. Shocking, too, was the revelation that human-monkey chimera embryos had been created (but terminated early in embryonic development). One of the greatest impressions this book left on me was that there are enormous strides being made in the science of biology right now, and that our conception and tools around biology are going to vastly change within our lifetimes.
If you're interested in how embryonic development works and how it's shaped our understanding of many different aspects of biology - and you're prepared to sit down with a dense and meaty book on the subject - by all means, take this one up. If you're looking for a more casual read, though, look elsewhere.
The book's premise is the question of how an organism grows from a single cell - the zygote - during embryonic development, a topic that we know surprisingly little about. The book goes through the history of the study around this question and a lot of major milestones in our understanding of biology, delving into the different theories people had at different times and the experimental breakthroughs that led to leaps in knowledge. One of the things that surprised me in reading it is how much of what we know today about biology is very recent - it felt like most of the major discoveries were made between the 1950s and the present day, and a great deal is still left unknown.
A lot of the first half or so of the book felt like retreading old ground for me, but a great deal of the latter part of the book was new to me. Most striking was the description of 'chimeras' - organisms made by mixing early-stage embryonic cells from two different embryos and carrying them to term. When I learned in this book that a goat-sheep chimera had been created - and grew to adulthood, and was fertile - and immediately I was greeted by a photograph of this 'geep'... well, I was thunderstruck. Shocking, too, was the revelation that human-monkey chimera embryos had been created (but terminated early in embryonic development). One of the greatest impressions this book left on me was that there are enormous strides being made in the science of biology right now, and that our conception and tools around biology are going to vastly change within our lifetimes.
If you're interested in how embryonic development works and how it's shaped our understanding of many different aspects of biology - and you're prepared to sit down with a dense and meaty book on the subject - by all means, take this one up. If you're looking for a more casual read, though, look elsewhere.
September 13, 2024
From the title I expected (and was hoping) this book would be about human fetal development through pregnancy. However, it was much more about molecular biology generally, with some emphasis on the field of developmental biology. However, I thought Stanger did a really great job of explaining complex topics, barring a few exceptions that I felt were convoluted and difficult to understand. I think these exceptions were driven by Stanger’s desire to inject (unnecessary) suspense at certain points. I wish he would have prioritized clarity instead of mystery at those points.
I also appreciated that he highlighted several researchers and experiments that are overlooked by many popular science books, and glossed over a few that have already been written about 100 times.
Interesting instance of scientific bias to support social hierarchies:"For the aristocracy, preformationism legitimized ancestral rights, since it defined as the natural order of things the conviction that every king belongs to a preexisting succession of kings, and every peasant belongs to a preexisting succession of peasants. Preformationism – with its religious, scientific, and social implications – held something appealing for anyone in a position of power, and it persisted as the dominant model of embryonic development for nearly two centuries."
I also appreciated that he highlighted several researchers and experiments that are overlooked by many popular science books, and glossed over a few that have already been written about 100 times.
Interesting instance of scientific bias to support social hierarchies:"For the aristocracy, preformationism legitimized ancestral rights, since it defined as the natural order of things the conviction that every king belongs to a preexisting succession of kings, and every peasant belongs to a preexisting succession of peasants. Preformationism – with its religious, scientific, and social implications – held something appealing for anyone in a position of power, and it persisted as the dominant model of embryonic development for nearly two centuries."
October 7, 2025
Having read The Gene: An Intimate History, this book failed to impress. The core question is interesting, but after reading through the entire book, I somehow don't know the answer to it. Stanger spent so much time on unrelated digressions that the actual thesis was completely lost. Numerous times, I found myself wondering why the heck he was talking about things like the Greek myth of Prometheus and what it had to do with the book (answer: nothing).
He also completely left out contributions of women when highlighting great discoveries in genetics, such as by omitting any mention of Rosalind Franklin, whose work directly led to the discovery of the double-helix structure. Apparently, taking the first clear picture of DNA didn't warrant even a passing comment beyond a single line buried in the 299 endnotes. But the myth of Prometheus? That's relevant enough to embryogenesis to dedicate a whole paragraph to.
He also completely left out contributions of women when highlighting great discoveries in genetics, such as by omitting any mention of Rosalind Franklin, whose work directly led to the discovery of the double-helix structure. Apparently, taking the first clear picture of DNA didn't warrant even a passing comment beyond a single line buried in the 299 endnotes. But the myth of Prometheus? That's relevant enough to embryogenesis to dedicate a whole paragraph to.
March 20, 2024
Per one 3-star reviewer, this is probably 3.25 stars for the first two-thirds, then 3.75-4 for the last one-third. (I gave it a bump up. NOT a 5 star or close, though.) That's when we get to the post-WWII era and real experimentation, then to knockout cells, embryonic stem cells, etc.
One takeaway for me from the early part of this last one-third is the similarity between teratomas and blastocytes. Another is between tumors and embryos, in that tumors have a small center amount of undifferentiated cells that drive their growth.
As for "looking ahead"? Things like cellular organ regeneration still appear to be Buck Rogers. Spoiler alert: We still don't know much about the "why" of cellular differentiation post-blastocyte in more "complex" animals, and that's a big issue tied to this. So, labs won't be giving humans salamander/sea star like abilities in the future.
Touches on research ethics near the end, but not a lot.
One takeaway for me from the early part of this last one-third is the similarity between teratomas and blastocytes. Another is between tumors and embryos, in that tumors have a small center amount of undifferentiated cells that drive their growth.
As for "looking ahead"? Things like cellular organ regeneration still appear to be Buck Rogers. Spoiler alert: We still don't know much about the "why" of cellular differentiation post-blastocyte in more "complex" animals, and that's a big issue tied to this. So, labs won't be giving humans salamander/sea star like abilities in the future.
Touches on research ethics near the end, but not a lot.
June 11, 2025
Very interesting, informative, and inspirational book. I learned a lot about the history of biological and developmental science, what discoveries have been made through various experiments using frog eggs, flies, plants, and mice, and the evolution of the science over the centuries and major advances made over the last few decades. There is so much still to be discovered involving stem cells, and how they can help humans to live longer, healthier lives, helping those who suffer from various diseases and degenerative issues. One of the standout points for me, made near the end of the book and encompassing the overall message, is that basic science is as important as applied science, and the two should go hand in hand to make further discoveries while at the same time working to solve the problems people are facing, as much of the time an unexpected discovery can help lead to a solution.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
August 31, 2023
3.5 stars. Walks through the history of genomic research, describing the discoveries of DNA, messenger RNA, how genes are turned on and off, embryonic stem cells and iPSCs (induced pluripotent stem cells). Manipulation of the latter cells, while still at an early development stage, may eventually become the holy grail of medicine, leading to cures for all kinds of currently untreatable conditions. I would have preferred that this book focus less on historical discoveries and more on the pathway forward for future research.
January 10, 2024
Did not give this one the diligence it deserves, probably, given my lack of biology background. Begins simple enough with the history of "embryogenetic" science from early frog embryos then moves to advances in human embryonic stem cell research and its potential uses in medicine. To my ear it rapidly became jargon-heavy, but Stanger does his best to illustrate the more advanced concepts with simple diagrams.
In theory, fascinating stuff but not what I needed for "moving-across-the-country"/holiday reading.
In theory, fascinating stuff but not what I needed for "moving-across-the-country"/holiday reading.
February 26, 2024
Definitely a book for developmental biology. Myself without much knowledge on biology, reading the book did serve me well to be aware and learn the topic. It covers how genes and cells develop and mature along with the different stages of the embryogenesis process. Included in the chapters are many details and explanations on what, how and why the embryo development works out. The Glossary of Terms section in the book is a good place to look up the various bits and pieces of knowledge as covered throughout the book.
July 28, 2023
From One Cell is biology’s answer to A Brief History of Time. With beautiful prose, Ben Stanger makes accessible our intricate, miraculous journey from one cell to trillions. While extremely informative, it also inspires wonder, and offers a glimpse into the future of genetic research. Anyone from high school students to medical students to readers with absolutely no background in science will find this book captivating. I will recommend it to absolutely everyone I know.
November 13, 2023
Dr. Ben Stanger, guides his readers through the intricacies of developmental biology, adeptly merging scientific concepts with historical narratives and engaging stories of trailblazing researchers. And he does so with humor! It’s great for understanding the complexities of biology and how breakthroughs happen. Anyone considering a career in medical research (or research in general) will find it insightful! Dr. Stanger explores the challenges and rewards of that path.
December 21, 2023
Clear orderly view of cell growth from embryonic to cancerous
Clear presentation of the complex relationship between cell growth and maturation and organization in various types of life... embryonic development, mutation, cancerous growth, and treatment oriented Research based on cellular and molecular properties. A well written introduction to the subject for interested non professionals.
Clear presentation of the complex relationship between cell growth and maturation and organization in various types of life... embryonic development, mutation, cancerous growth, and treatment oriented Research based on cellular and molecular properties. A well written introduction to the subject for interested non professionals.
January 18, 2025
From One Cell offers some fascinating insights into the future of medicine and a handful of interesting facts, but it didn’t fully click with me. I listened to it as an audiobook, and I found it tough to follow at times—probably better suited for reading. Even so, I don’t think switching formats would have bumped my rating to 4 stars. While I appreciated the content, it didn’t leave a lasting impact beyond a few intriguing points.
February 3, 2025
This was an amazing book that had my attention from start to finish. Ben Stanger has a talent for words.
He had a lot of evidence to back up why the genome alone is not enough to understand life.
"-The physicist, Richard Fyneman once said what I cannot create I do not understand. It is a high bar for measuring knowledge, and one that developmental biologist remain far from achieving. We have discovered most of not all of the genes with the universal role and development, and we have a rough idea of how their protein products work. Consequently, it is not regarding the identity and function of those individual genes, and their products, where our comprehension falls short. It is the bigger picture of the development- how genes work together to build the interactive networks from which our bodily cities and cellular societies rise- that remain elusive. "
"The next generation of innovation will require new knowledge, and this can come about only through the imperfect and unpredictable efforts of basic scientists. It is much harder to measure the cost to society of discovery that aren’t made. The developmental biology of the future will involve a synthesis of the endearing and evolving attributes of research – the interplay of night science, and day science, and the utilization of innovative tools, and fresh paradigms. It will be more multidisciplinary than ever, and it will employee variety of model organisms, divergent, technologies, and large data sets. The research will continue to be directed by individuals with vision and persistence, scientists who wish for the same thing, their predecessors"
He had a lot of evidence to back up why the genome alone is not enough to understand life.
"-The physicist, Richard Fyneman once said what I cannot create I do not understand. It is a high bar for measuring knowledge, and one that developmental biologist remain far from achieving. We have discovered most of not all of the genes with the universal role and development, and we have a rough idea of how their protein products work. Consequently, it is not regarding the identity and function of those individual genes, and their products, where our comprehension falls short. It is the bigger picture of the development- how genes work together to build the interactive networks from which our bodily cities and cellular societies rise- that remain elusive. "
"The next generation of innovation will require new knowledge, and this can come about only through the imperfect and unpredictable efforts of basic scientists. It is much harder to measure the cost to society of discovery that aren’t made. The developmental biology of the future will involve a synthesis of the endearing and evolving attributes of research – the interplay of night science, and day science, and the utilization of innovative tools, and fresh paradigms. It will be more multidisciplinary than ever, and it will employee variety of model organisms, divergent, technologies, and large data sets. The research will continue to be directed by individuals with vision and persistence, scientists who wish for the same thing, their predecessors"
October 28, 2025
Interesting and a good refresher on some biological concepts plus I learned some new things as well. However, the book was also rather dry in some places, especially in the history chapters. I listened to the audiobook for parts of this and was also frustrated that the narrator frequently did not use the common pronunciations (at least that I was aware of) for certain biological terms. I did really enjoy and learn a lot from the later sections about cancer, stem cell therapies, and epigenetics.
February 4, 2024
I love the perspective of learning *how* discoveries are made and not just that they are. By learning of the crowded fly room or accidentally ending an experiment three weeks premature, I am more inspired to learn into the curiosity and creativity side of science. The end was a drag because I am less interested in applied biomedical science than fundamental research.
March 17, 2024
A book that resonated deeply with the questions and beliefs I harbored before reading it, but frustrating in the lack of answers it provides. This isn't so much a failure on the author's part as much as a testament to current limits in science. Great conclusion that causes one to question the direction the modern research enterprise is headed in.
March 24, 2024
A very nice survey & history of embryology and the one cell problem.
The author is very humble and candid about the limits to our learning in the fields of embryology and cancer research. A very informative and nicely book to informed and educate
The author is very humble and candid about the limits to our learning in the fields of embryology and cancer research. A very informative and nicely book to informed and educate
February 18, 2025
This author makes learning about cells fun and interesting. Some of the information is very high level, but he does a good job and making it easy to understand and relateable. I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in science and thr future the study of cells. #GoodreadsGiveaway
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