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How to Build a Dinosaur: The New Science of Reverse Evolution
A world-renowned paleontologist reveals groundbreaking science that trumps science fiction: how to grow a living dinosaur
Over a decade after Jurassic Park, Jack Horner and his colleagues in molecular biology labs are in the process of building the technology to create a real dinosaur.
Based on new research in evolutionary developmental biology on how a few select cells grow to create arms, legs, eyes, and brains that function together, Jack Horner takes the science a step further in a plan to "reverse evolution" and reveals the awesome, even frightening, power being acquired to recreate the prehistoric past. The key is the dinosaur's genetic code that lives on in modern birds- even chickens. From cutting-edge biology labs to field digs underneath the Montana sun, How to Build a Dinosaur explains and enlightens an awesome new science.
Over a decade after Jurassic Park, Jack Horner and his colleagues in molecular biology labs are in the process of building the technology to create a real dinosaur.
Based on new research in evolutionary developmental biology on how a few select cells grow to create arms, legs, eyes, and brains that function together, Jack Horner takes the science a step further in a plan to "reverse evolution" and reveals the awesome, even frightening, power being acquired to recreate the prehistoric past. The key is the dinosaur's genetic code that lives on in modern birds- even chickens. From cutting-edge biology labs to field digs underneath the Montana sun, How to Build a Dinosaur explains and enlightens an awesome new science.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
81 people are currently reading
1611 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 158 reviews
August 9, 2011
Book reviews, like online hotel reviews, are entirely biased by the reviewer's background. As a professor of evolutionary biology, I like to look over books that are both responsibly written, scientifically accurate and engaging for both the high school graduate and science graduate student.
For me, it gets two stars primarily for the third category: I just found the writing a little simplistic and lacking in detail. Generalizations can let you build up an exciting story, but the language just wasn't that engaging for me. A successful science book humanizes the science, and this does that adequately by introducing several scientists from a variety of backgrounds. But the overall concept, genetic engineering of a dino-bird, is given too much drama.
However, if you wish for a quick read, I really do think that it fulfills the first two categories: it is responsibly written and accurate. There are some technical points that I quibbled with, but are just not appropriate given the audience. I think that this is a good match for someone in high school with an interest in genetics or development.
For me, it gets two stars primarily for the third category: I just found the writing a little simplistic and lacking in detail. Generalizations can let you build up an exciting story, but the language just wasn't that engaging for me. A successful science book humanizes the science, and this does that adequately by introducing several scientists from a variety of backgrounds. But the overall concept, genetic engineering of a dino-bird, is given too much drama.
However, if you wish for a quick read, I really do think that it fulfills the first two categories: it is responsibly written and accurate. There are some technical points that I quibbled with, but are just not appropriate given the audience. I think that this is a good match for someone in high school with an interest in genetics or development.
January 20, 2016
Meh, this book was mostly filler. I'd say like 75% filler. Horner killed time by explaining modern dino-studies and described a few of his colleagues in great detail. Then he finally got down to brass tacks and explained how he wants to turn a chicken into a dinosaur. Great, I'm on board. Get to work doctor.
March 20, 2011
So much of this book is, "oh, people are going to be nervous about making a dinosaur out of a chicken," and "ethical considerations this," and "playing God that."
Stop pussy-footin', Horner! We want our dinosaur chicken, and we want it NOW!
We're not going to live forever, and neither are you. You already have people changing proteins in eggs and making chicken embryos with teeth and tails. Let 'em hatch!
Grant? You don't need a grant! You need a loan, from somebody who understands that a dinosaur chicken fast food chain would make billions! I'd totally eat there every single day of my life.
Stop pussy-footin', Horner! We want our dinosaur chicken, and we want it NOW!
We're not going to live forever, and neither are you. You already have people changing proteins in eggs and making chicken embryos with teeth and tails. Let 'em hatch!
Grant? You don't need a grant! You need a loan, from somebody who understands that a dinosaur chicken fast food chain would make billions! I'd totally eat there every single day of my life.
November 5, 2015
Will review more later, but wanted to mark as read.
Yes, this book is super interesting, fun, and you will learn a ton from this...
...read this 100% if you like dinosaurs, evolution, pop-sci, and because you are super cool.
Yes, this book is super interesting, fun, and you will learn a ton from this...
...read this 100% if you like dinosaurs, evolution, pop-sci, and because you are super cool.
December 25, 2018
This book feels a lot like when you are writing a paper, don't know where it's going, and are just trying to hit the page minimum. It's like 80% filler. The last two chapters are the most relevant to the title, and even then, it's basically like "if we can build a dino it'll probably be this way, and people are going to whine a lot about ethics, but it sure is going to be cool when I walk out on stage with a dino-chicken."
July 20, 2020
Significantly more evolution content than dinosaur content
:(
I'm not sure if the author actually has a smug voice, or if it was just the audiobook reader. I think this would be better in print.
There were some interesting parts, especially the information on dinosaur digs and genetics, but overall I was glad when I reached the end.
:(
I'm not sure if the author actually has a smug voice, or if it was just the audiobook reader. I think this would be better in print.
There were some interesting parts, especially the information on dinosaur digs and genetics, but overall I was glad when I reached the end.
March 6, 2022
4.5 stars
Since I read Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton, I want to know more about dinosaurs, but also about their extinction - and to read fiction books with them, but that's another question. This book seemed perfect as it deals with "reverse evolution", a concept I knew nothing about.
The idea behind this title, as it was explained in the beginning, was a bit terrifying: to build a dinosaur from a chicken embryo. Of course, it gives great vibes of "Jurassic Park", but for real. Fortunately, the author explains his point in the last chapter - but I'll let you discover it for yourself. Reading How to Build a Dinosaur felt like zooming in on the idea of actually building a dinosaur. The reader goes from fossils discovered in the field to biological researches to experiments on how to grow a tail. I'm not sure I understand everything because it got a bit technical sometimes, but I was, for the most part, fascinated, both by the project and by what I learnt here about different scientific fields - be it extinction and theories about how dinosaurs got extinct, or how paleontologists can find tissues/cells/molecules in fossil bones.
The last chapter focuses on the author's project and on extinction. I tried to read another book dealing with this topic, The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History and I, sadly, couldn't go on. It was probably my favorite part: as I said, the author explains himself and what his real goal is, but he also broaches the philosophical and ethical questions this experiment might bring. He doesn't focus on them but he doesn't put them aside completely, which I appreciated.
So, a good book about how we could, one day, build a dinosaur from a chicken egg; it might be frightening in the beginning, but it gets fascinating - and, as the author says, this project is just a project and won't probably be done in his lifetime. Meanwhile, the idea is both enticing and questionable.
Since I read Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton, I want to know more about dinosaurs, but also about their extinction - and to read fiction books with them, but that's another question. This book seemed perfect as it deals with "reverse evolution", a concept I knew nothing about.
The idea behind this title, as it was explained in the beginning, was a bit terrifying: to build a dinosaur from a chicken embryo. Of course, it gives great vibes of "Jurassic Park", but for real. Fortunately, the author explains his point in the last chapter - but I'll let you discover it for yourself. Reading How to Build a Dinosaur felt like zooming in on the idea of actually building a dinosaur. The reader goes from fossils discovered in the field to biological researches to experiments on how to grow a tail. I'm not sure I understand everything because it got a bit technical sometimes, but I was, for the most part, fascinated, both by the project and by what I learnt here about different scientific fields - be it extinction and theories about how dinosaurs got extinct, or how paleontologists can find tissues/cells/molecules in fossil bones.
The last chapter focuses on the author's project and on extinction. I tried to read another book dealing with this topic, The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History and I, sadly, couldn't go on. It was probably my favorite part: as I said, the author explains himself and what his real goal is, but he also broaches the philosophical and ethical questions this experiment might bring. He doesn't focus on them but he doesn't put them aside completely, which I appreciated.
So, a good book about how we could, one day, build a dinosaur from a chicken egg; it might be frightening in the beginning, but it gets fascinating - and, as the author says, this project is just a project and won't probably be done in his lifetime. Meanwhile, the idea is both enticing and questionable.
November 13, 2017
This is a horribly written book. There is a ridiculous amount of completely irrelevant filler, a few interesting dinosaur bits and pieces that have nothing to do with the book title (and presumably subject) and then a magazine article length section on "how to build a dinosaur" by fiddling with chicken genomes, along with how the general public is going to freak out about it. The author spends the entire first chapter babbling about a town in the middle of nowhere, how to get there, local gossip and a bit of local history i.e. irrelevant filler. Then there is a section on finding evidence of dinosaur blood cells and collagen, with some pointless pot-shots at creationists (they might be crazy but do you really have to include it in the book, especially since it doesn't accomplish anything?), and too much details about the scientists personal life. The sections dealing with the techniques used was interesting, but there was too little substance and far too much filler. The writing is also simplistic but overly verbose, and got boring after a while.
NOTE: The book was published in 2009, so some of the scientific data discussed may well be out of date by now, especially anything related to genetic alterations.
NOTE: The book was published in 2009, so some of the scientific data discussed may well be out of date by now, especially anything related to genetic alterations.
July 11, 2009
This is a stunning example of the book contradicting its title. "Extinction doesn't have to be forever" is a sexy proposition which is addressed in the 200 or so droll pages of what's essentially a condescending conversation. The author directly indicates in the pertinent sections that he is merely talking of atavisms rather than reconstructing a dino genome. Let me save you a shit ton of time:
1)Modern tech makes the recovery of proteins possible across long periods
2)The author hates creationists and makes potshots at them. I'm no lover of young earth creationists but it makes the text adversarial.
3)We have the tech to develop in the near term the ability turn on and off specific genes within chicken embryos that could recreate non-avian dinosaur-like atavisms.
4)The author is essentially begging for money to pursue what he at best poorly proves the utility of.
1)Modern tech makes the recovery of proteins possible across long periods
2)The author hates creationists and makes potshots at them. I'm no lover of young earth creationists but it makes the text adversarial.
3)We have the tech to develop in the near term the ability turn on and off specific genes within chicken embryos that could recreate non-avian dinosaur-like atavisms.
4)The author is essentially begging for money to pursue what he at best poorly proves the utility of.
September 27, 2019
I'm a little surprised at how......bored? I was by this book. It had a really interesting premise, but I was more than halfway through the book before the author actually started talking about the chicken idea from the introduction.
And while it was interesting to hear about the process of experimentation, discovering collagen in dinosaur fossils, and the whole rebuttal series involved..... it really didn't have much to do with the main thesis of the book. (Also, it came off as a lot of bragging about his protege, which, while justified..... also doesn't have much to do with editing a chicken embryo so it looks like a dino.)
Anyway, I learned a lot more about embryology and "evo-devo" than I ever really needed to.
And while it was interesting to hear about the process of experimentation, discovering collagen in dinosaur fossils, and the whole rebuttal series involved..... it really didn't have much to do with the main thesis of the book. (Also, it came off as a lot of bragging about his protege, which, while justified..... also doesn't have much to do with editing a chicken embryo so it looks like a dino.)
Anyway, I learned a lot more about embryology and "evo-devo" than I ever really needed to.
January 13, 2013
Anything about this science gets 5 stars because it's dinosaurs and dinosaurs always get 5 stars! haha! A quick read, more about imaginative science than perfect science, which is fun. Kids could read this, which is also important. Saw a special on 60 minutes about this concept and book, can't wait for a chickensaurus.
September 16, 2020
More of an overview of the advancements in paleontology than a forward looking recipe (at least until the last chapter), this is still an enjoyable read. Did you know that fossilized dinosaur blood vessels and impressions of blood cells were largely discovered in the late 90s, early 2000s? And that paleontology has largely become a historical developmental biology discipline? I didn't and it was really interesting to read about.
April 19, 2022
Boring. Did not finish.
Read
December 16, 2024**no ratings for non-fiction**
September 21, 2018
An incredible look into the world of paleontology and evolutionary biology which will leave you excited, and slightly terrified, for the future of science! By analyzing the complex mechanisms for both small, long term evolution, and those cataclysmic events which spawned open, massive evolutionary changes, Jack Horner provides a unique new perspective for observing the past: by altering and backwards evolving present day relatives of the long lost dinosaurs. The idea of hatching a dinosaur from a chicken egg becomes a real and tangible goal as Horner details the many similarities and connections modern avian birds have, not only with nonavian dinosaurs, but also with mammals and other vertebrae. This wonderful description and explanation opens the mind to countless possibilities and illuminates something most of us never consider, how closely related we are to other species', and how gene expression and genetic development can spawn seemingly different and unrelated animals which share the same common ancestors.
Jack Horner not only gives a wonderful glimpse into the developing scientific fields researching dinosaur genetics, evolution and physiology, but also of the evolving influences on traditional paleontology and how our understanding of the prehistoric world has changed. Laced with insightful anecdotes, and mixed in with science broken down into manageable concepts, How to Build a Dinosaur is a great introduction to a world of possibilities and excitement that might revolutionize our understanding of nonavian development, the emergence of flight, and our own human mechanisms for change.
I definitely recommend this book!
Jack Horner not only gives a wonderful glimpse into the developing scientific fields researching dinosaur genetics, evolution and physiology, but also of the evolving influences on traditional paleontology and how our understanding of the prehistoric world has changed. Laced with insightful anecdotes, and mixed in with science broken down into manageable concepts, How to Build a Dinosaur is a great introduction to a world of possibilities and excitement that might revolutionize our understanding of nonavian development, the emergence of flight, and our own human mechanisms for change.
I definitely recommend this book!
August 22, 2009
Renowned paleontologist, Jack Horner, and James Gorman, deputy science editor of The New York Times, have written a profound book in How to Build A Dinosaur. Rather than zeroing in on ancient dinosaur DNA, Horner and his colleagues instead focus on evolutionary development, or “evo-devo”, as they term it.
We know that the embryos of multiple creatures develop in a similar fashion, for a time featuring arm and beg buds as well as tails. Assuming that dinosaurs evolved in a similar manner, Jack Horner contends that it might be possible to reverse evolution from the embryo of a modern chicken. Such a massive step is controversial to be sure, but the benefits of manipulating genes at just the right point in development might very well assist us in resolving spinal chord problems and other birth defects in humans today.
Jack Horner cites to some of the great fossil discoveries of the past, as well as current research involving exploration of past life forms on a molecular level. This book is an excellent bridge between paleontology and cutting edge technology. How to Build A Dinosaur is the marriage of two types of investigations in our continual search for the answers to the questions of evolution, selection and the tantalizing prospect of some day generating a living, breathing dinosaur. Perhaps, in the process, we can learn a little more about our own development and our place in this ever changing world.
We know that the embryos of multiple creatures develop in a similar fashion, for a time featuring arm and beg buds as well as tails. Assuming that dinosaurs evolved in a similar manner, Jack Horner contends that it might be possible to reverse evolution from the embryo of a modern chicken. Such a massive step is controversial to be sure, but the benefits of manipulating genes at just the right point in development might very well assist us in resolving spinal chord problems and other birth defects in humans today.
Jack Horner cites to some of the great fossil discoveries of the past, as well as current research involving exploration of past life forms on a molecular level. This book is an excellent bridge between paleontology and cutting edge technology. How to Build A Dinosaur is the marriage of two types of investigations in our continual search for the answers to the questions of evolution, selection and the tantalizing prospect of some day generating a living, breathing dinosaur. Perhaps, in the process, we can learn a little more about our own development and our place in this ever changing world.
May 29, 2018
This was really interesting! So, a quick glance at the book synopsis mentioned that Horner consulted for Jurassic Park and based on the cover (I know, I know, I did the thing) and the title, I half-expected this book to be about bringing dinosaurs to life on film. Oops! My bad. This book is actually about Chickenosaurus.
Pardon?
Yes! Renowned paleontologist Jack Horner wants to reverse engineer a chicken embryo into something like a dinosaur, with a real tail, teeth, and forearms instead of wings. How freaking cool is that? This whole book is basically Horner breaking down the background science, explaining how it could be done, guessing at what scientific advances could be side-benefits of the project, and waxing a wee bit philosophical on what a breathing chickenosaurus could mean for the scientific imagination of the shaky American public.
His enthusiasm was charming and the science was super interesting. It's a bit out of date (2009, I think?), so I'm sure there could be updates, but still. The background info was really cool and I definitely vote for a Chickenosaurus at this point. Count me in. Sounds fun.
Pardon?
Yes! Renowned paleontologist Jack Horner wants to reverse engineer a chicken embryo into something like a dinosaur, with a real tail, teeth, and forearms instead of wings. How freaking cool is that? This whole book is basically Horner breaking down the background science, explaining how it could be done, guessing at what scientific advances could be side-benefits of the project, and waxing a wee bit philosophical on what a breathing chickenosaurus could mean for the scientific imagination of the shaky American public.
His enthusiasm was charming and the science was super interesting. It's a bit out of date (2009, I think?), so I'm sure there could be updates, but still. The background info was really cool and I definitely vote for a Chickenosaurus at this point. Count me in. Sounds fun.
June 18, 2017
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"Every morning, the dinosaurs make such a racket. I can hear them outside my bedroom window, singing the dawn chorus. When I leave the house they are everywhere. I see them in parks, patrolling the parking lots of shopping malls, on the prairie, along rivers, at the sea, and in New York City, where they live in astonishing numbers. I often find them on my plate at fine and fast-food restaurants.
I'm talking about avian dinosaurs, of course, warblers, starlings, catbirds, cowbirds, robins, orioles, gulls, vultures, kingfishers, sandpipers, falcons, pigeons, and chickens, billions of chickens. I've been saying for most of the book that the dino saurs never did go extinct, that birds are dinosaurs, descended from theropod dinosaurs, related to T. rex, and with a great library of dinosaur genes in their genome."
SEVİMLİ SÖZÇÜKLER JACK HORNER, SEVİMLİ SÖZÇÜKLER
"Every morning, the dinosaurs make such a racket. I can hear them outside my bedroom window, singing the dawn chorus. When I leave the house they are everywhere. I see them in parks, patrolling the parking lots of shopping malls, on the prairie, along rivers, at the sea, and in New York City, where they live in astonishing numbers. I often find them on my plate at fine and fast-food restaurants.
I'm talking about avian dinosaurs, of course, warblers, starlings, catbirds, cowbirds, robins, orioles, gulls, vultures, kingfishers, sandpipers, falcons, pigeons, and chickens, billions of chickens. I've been saying for most of the book that the dino saurs never did go extinct, that birds are dinosaurs, descended from theropod dinosaurs, related to T. rex, and with a great library of dinosaur genes in their genome."
SEVİMLİ SÖZÇÜKLER JACK HORNER, SEVİMLİ SÖZÇÜKLER
September 12, 2009
Believe it or not, the title's no joke: the author really does want to bring back a dinosaur. Ok, maybe a superficially similar form, but the story really is about genetics, developmental biology, paleontology, and the like. The author's approach isn't like "Jurassic Park," rather, he has a different approach that makes a lot of sense.
It's definitely a great read even if there are quite a few off-topic tangents he seems to take. It's not so much a book about dinosaurs themselves, so don't expect that, though there is some discussion of them in there and a decent amount about bones & fossils. I liked hearing about the genetic and developmental "tweaks" that are currently being done with chick embryos too.
If you're into dinosaurs, genetics, or developmental biology you'd probably enjoy this book (unless you're a pro in the field, in which case it might be too intro for you.) The level of this book for the average non-professional dinosaur enthusiast is just right.
It's definitely a great read even if there are quite a few off-topic tangents he seems to take. It's not so much a book about dinosaurs themselves, so don't expect that, though there is some discussion of them in there and a decent amount about bones & fossils. I liked hearing about the genetic and developmental "tweaks" that are currently being done with chick embryos too.
If you're into dinosaurs, genetics, or developmental biology you'd probably enjoy this book (unless you're a pro in the field, in which case it might be too intro for you.) The level of this book for the average non-professional dinosaur enthusiast is just right.
June 19, 2011
I ordered this book after seeing a segment on 60 Minutes with Jack Horner and Mary Schweitzer about the research and the book, and it was well worth the read. It is written in a conversational tone, easily read by the lay person--but let's be realistic, there is a minimum level of nerdiness one needs to possess to even want to read this book in the first place. If you have that nerdiness though--be it a background in science or simply (like me) a residual fascination with dinosaurs that has carried over from childhood--I would definitely recommend checking out this book.
October 17, 2012
Awesome book! The author hopes and most likely will alter certain genes in the embryo of a chicken to recreate characteristics of ancient dinosaurs such as teeth, forelimbs, and a tail. I hope I live to see the day that they have created a real life nonavian dinosaur...People complain that its animal cruelty to tamper with chicken eggs and alter the genetics, do these people realize how many eggs we crack and eat every day?
August 2, 2018
Out of all the books I've ever gotten through, this has more unnecessary filler content than any of them. The majority of the book goes on about how Dinosaurs were, rather than possible methods that could potentially bring back an extinct creature. Excluding parts in the final chapter, the rest of the book is going on one long tangent. Despite the fascinating concept, I wouldn't recommend this one.
June 1, 2021
Listened to this with my son for his popsugar challenge. It wasn't as interesting as we hoped. He is 9 so it was a little over his head, but he really likes dinosaurs and genetics and I thought there would be a lot of that, but there wasn't really. It wasn't difficult to follow or anything, just a bit dull for us non-professional consumers.
April 21, 2009
An amazing book.
There are not enough superlatives in my vocabulary to do justice to this book.
I would give this book ten, fifteen, twenty stars if I could.
Advocates a much different approach than shown in the movie Jurassic Park (for which he was an adviser).
There are not enough superlatives in my vocabulary to do justice to this book.
I would give this book ten, fifteen, twenty stars if I could.
Advocates a much different approach than shown in the movie Jurassic Park (for which he was an adviser).
October 2, 2018
I would like to place an order for a chickenosaurus please.
April 25, 2012
Very, Very FUN Book!
January 23, 2018
Horner is something of an icon to me. i began hearing his name and even seeing him in NOVA documentaries when i was younger and very much more into dinosaurs. it was interesting to read his thoughts on his vision to turn a chicken into a dinosaur.
basically, he wants to manipulate the genetic on and off codes to regulate embryological patterns to unsuppress the dinosaur genes that still reside within chickens. chickens with teeth and front claws and tails would be the goal. there is no danger of these extant dinosaurs becoming an invasive species because they would still be chickens genetically. the traits turned on during maturation would not be able to be passed on to any progeny it might accidentally generate.
other science associated with this endeavor was highlighted in this book. fascinating stuff like taking microscopically thin sections of fossil bone and testing for intact proteins. apply anti-avian antibodies to a thin slice of fossil and see if they recognize and bond with anything there. then apply phosphorescing antibodies that adhere to those antibodies. if the specimen phosphoresces then those proteins are still extant in the fossil. brilliant technique and awesome to know that dinosaur proteins have survived at least partially intact for millions of years in stone.
there are other scientific revelations in the book along with the names of the researchers working in those areas. it’s a concise book with Horner’s conversational tone (often funny) lending itself to that special middle ground sought to convey science concepts to non-science types.
basically, he wants to manipulate the genetic on and off codes to regulate embryological patterns to unsuppress the dinosaur genes that still reside within chickens. chickens with teeth and front claws and tails would be the goal. there is no danger of these extant dinosaurs becoming an invasive species because they would still be chickens genetically. the traits turned on during maturation would not be able to be passed on to any progeny it might accidentally generate.
other science associated with this endeavor was highlighted in this book. fascinating stuff like taking microscopically thin sections of fossil bone and testing for intact proteins. apply anti-avian antibodies to a thin slice of fossil and see if they recognize and bond with anything there. then apply phosphorescing antibodies that adhere to those antibodies. if the specimen phosphoresces then those proteins are still extant in the fossil. brilliant technique and awesome to know that dinosaur proteins have survived at least partially intact for millions of years in stone.
there are other scientific revelations in the book along with the names of the researchers working in those areas. it’s a concise book with Horner’s conversational tone (often funny) lending itself to that special middle ground sought to convey science concepts to non-science types.
August 28, 2021
"Jack Horner and his colleagues in molecular biology labs are in the process of building the technology to create a real dinosaur.
"Based on new research in evolutionary developmental biology on how a few select cells grow to create arms, legs, eyes, and brains that function together, Horner is taking science into a new age with his plan to 'reverse evolution.' This is the story of the awesome, even frightening, power bring acquired to re-create the prehistoric past. The key in this puzzle is the dinosaur's genetic code that lives on in modern birds -- even chickens. Activate the genes that grow tails, deactivate the ones that grow feathers, adjust some growth factors, and behold: Chickenosaurus!
"It isn't quite that simple yet, but from cutting-edge biology labs to field digs underneath the Montana sun, How to Build A Dinosaur explains and enlightens evolution as it points to astonishing developments already underway."
~~back cover
Since this book was written in 2009, I'm wondering how much further along this research has come. Are we any closer to Chickenosaurus? If not, what roadblocks were hit? If progress has been made, what progress? And how much farther before reaching the goal?
"Based on new research in evolutionary developmental biology on how a few select cells grow to create arms, legs, eyes, and brains that function together, Horner is taking science into a new age with his plan to 'reverse evolution.' This is the story of the awesome, even frightening, power bring acquired to re-create the prehistoric past. The key in this puzzle is the dinosaur's genetic code that lives on in modern birds -- even chickens. Activate the genes that grow tails, deactivate the ones that grow feathers, adjust some growth factors, and behold: Chickenosaurus!
"It isn't quite that simple yet, but from cutting-edge biology labs to field digs underneath the Montana sun, How to Build A Dinosaur explains and enlightens evolution as it points to astonishing developments already underway."
~~back cover
Since this book was written in 2009, I'm wondering how much further along this research has come. Are we any closer to Chickenosaurus? If not, what roadblocks were hit? If progress has been made, what progress? And how much farther before reaching the goal?
April 30, 2024
Love love love! I loved the Jacks's perspective and all of the tangents he went down. Developmental biology is my jam and he created a wonderful overview of the genes regulating early development, their importance and relatedness among organisms. He has an interesting hope for this field, in which we do not recreate the dinosaur as it was but to modify gene expression (WITHOUT genetic engineering ie CRSPR and the like) to generate the features of the dinosaur. This means the "chickenosaur" created would not have a it's genes altered but the gene expression would be tweaked during development to result in dinosaur-like features (tail, teeth, forarms).
I was motivated to read this book after reading he had severe dyslexia which challenged his academic career but was so moved by what he accomplished. I loved reading about his study Mary Schweitzer and her awesome contributions even entering into the field later in life. Hans Larsson's work with the tail and attempting to spur it's development in chickens is incredibly interesting and useful. I look forward to reading more about his work.
I was motivated to read this book after reading he had severe dyslexia which challenged his academic career but was so moved by what he accomplished. I loved reading about his study Mary Schweitzer and her awesome contributions even entering into the field later in life. Hans Larsson's work with the tail and attempting to spur it's development in chickens is incredibly interesting and useful. I look forward to reading more about his work.
April 30, 2018
So if you go in on the idea that dinosaurs didn't really become extinct, and that instead, they just evolved into birds Jack Horner has an interesting idea. By "silencing" certain aspects of a chicken embryo's development we can basically return the chicken, on a subject by subject basis, back into a dinosaur.
It's an interesting idea, the possibility of which Horner himself describes as one that would take many, many years and a whole lot of money and would not be something he would expect to see in his lifetime.
The book does get a little science heavy at times and the author lost me at several of those moments. And though the author does hint at the ethical dilemma this raises he doesn't go into it. Of course where I look at the question and see the end result (living, breathing dinosaurs) he looks at it in more of "the journey" aspect (all that mankind would gain from the knowledge / genome research and understanding). Again, interesting and the author makes a good argument for the possibility, though the exactly how aspect doesn't come through.
It's an interesting idea, the possibility of which Horner himself describes as one that would take many, many years and a whole lot of money and would not be something he would expect to see in his lifetime.
The book does get a little science heavy at times and the author lost me at several of those moments. And though the author does hint at the ethical dilemma this raises he doesn't go into it. Of course where I look at the question and see the end result (living, breathing dinosaurs) he looks at it in more of "the journey" aspect (all that mankind would gain from the knowledge / genome research and understanding). Again, interesting and the author makes a good argument for the possibility, though the exactly how aspect doesn't come through.
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