Unnatural selection : how we are changing life, gene by gene / Emily Monosson.

By:

Monosson, Emily

text

Media type:

unmediated

Carrier type:

volume

ISBN:

9781610914987 (cloth : alk. paper)
1610914988 (cloth : alk. paper)

Subject(s):

DDC classification:

576.542 23

LOC classification:

RA1226 .M665 2015

Contents:

Introduction: Life-changing chemicals -- Unnatural selection in a natural world : Discovery: antibiotics and the rise of the superbug ; Prevention: searching for a universal vaccine ; Treatment: beyond chemotherapy ; Defiance: rounding up resistance ; Resurgence: bedbugs bite back -- Natural selection in an unnatural world : Release: toxics in the wild ; Evolution: it's humanly possible -- Beyond selection : Epigenetics: epilogue or prologue?

Summary: "Gonorrhea. Bed bugs. Weeds. Salamanders. People. All are evolving, some surprisingly rapidly, in response to our chemical age. In Unnatural Selection, Emily Monosson shows how our drugs, pesticides, and pollution are exerting intense selection pressure on all manner of species. And we humans might not like the result. Monosson reveals that the very code of life is more fluid than once imagined. When our powerful chemicals put the pressure on to evolve or die, beneficial traits can sweep rapidly through a population. Species with explosive population growth - the bugs, bacteria, and weeds - tend to thrive, while bigger, slower-to-reproduce creatures, like ourselves, are more likely to succumb. Monosson explores contemporary evolution in all its guises. She examines the species that we are actively trying to beat back, from agricultural pests to life-threatening bacteria, and those that are collateral damage - creatures struggling to adapt to a polluted world. Monosson also presents cutting-edge science on gene expression, showing how environmental stressors are leaving their mark on plants, animals, and possibly humans for generations to come. Unnatural Selection is eye-opening and more than a little disquieting. But it also suggests how we might lessen our impact: manage pests without creating super bugs; protect individuals from disease without inviting epidemics; and benefit from technology without threatening the health of our children."-- Book jacket.

Holdings
Item type	Current library	Shelving location	Call number	Copy number	Status	Date due	Barcode
Book	NMC Library	Stacks	RA1226 .M665 2015 (Browse shelf(Opens below))	1	Available		33039001357291

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Previous	RA1226 .I525 2018 Inevitably toxic : historical perspectives on contamination, exposure, and expertise /	RA1226 .L47 2010 Sacrifice zones : the front lines of toxic chemical exposure in the United States /	RA1226 .M66 2012 Evolution in a toxic world : how life responds to chemical threats /	RA1226 .M665 2015 Unnatural selection : how we are changing life, gene by gene /	RA1229 .M53 2008 Doubt is their product : how industry's assault on science threatens your health /	RA1231 .F55 B795 2004 The fluoride deception /	RA1231 .L4 H34 2018 What the eyes don't see : a story of crisis, resistance, and hope in an American city /	Next

Includes bibliographical references (pages 155-178) and index.

"Gonorrhea. Bed bugs. Weeds. Salamanders. People. All are evolving, some surprisingly rapidly, in response to our chemical age. In Unnatural Selection, Emily Monosson shows how our drugs, pesticides, and pollution are exerting intense selection pressure on all manner of species. And we humans might not like the result. Monosson reveals that the very code of life is more fluid than once imagined. When our powerful chemicals put the pressure on to evolve or die, beneficial traits can sweep rapidly through a population. Species with explosive population growth - the bugs, bacteria, and weeds - tend to thrive, while bigger, slower-to-reproduce creatures, like ourselves, are more likely to succumb. Monosson explores contemporary evolution in all its guises. She examines the species that we are actively trying to beat back, from agricultural pests to life-threatening bacteria, and those that are collateral damage - creatures struggling to adapt to a polluted world. Monosson also presents cutting-edge science on gene expression, showing how environmental stressors are leaving their mark on plants, animals, and possibly humans for generations to come. Unnatural Selection is eye-opening and more than a little disquieting. But it also suggests how we might lessen our impact: manage pests without creating super bugs; protect individuals from disease without inviting epidemics; and benefit from technology without threatening the health of our children."-- Book jacket.

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