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图书馆 | 资料类型 | 排架号 | 子计数 | 书架位置 | 状态 | 图书预约 |
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正在检索... Science | Book | 571.8 C651A 1999 | 1 | Stacks | 正在检索... 未知 | 正在检索... 不可借阅 |
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摘要
摘要
How is a tiny fertilised egg able to turn itself into a human being? How can an acorn transform itself into an oak tree? Through a highly original synthesis of science and art, this book vividly describes the recent revolution in our understanding of how plants and animals develop. Drawing on a wide range of material -- from flowers growing petals instead of sex organs, and flies that develop an extra pair of wings, to works by Leonardo and Magritte -- it explains the language and meaning of genes, in an entertaining way that is both accurate and accessible to the general reader. It shows how an organism develops through an interactive dialogue in which there is no clear separation between plan and execution, much as an artist might paint a picture. By explaining how this process has arisen, the book arrives at fresh and exciting insights into the nature of evolution, development and human creativity.
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Coen writes about developmental biology for the general reader. He makes frequent use of analogies relating to the creation of works of art and the development of organisms. By means of these analogies, he paints an accurate and up-to-date picture of the molecular details of biological development in plants and animals. Although the use of some terms (e.g., colors in place of gene names) may be confusing for those with some background on the topic, the author generally provides enough detail to add to the knowledge of those with previous exposure to the topic, without overwhelming the uninitiated with technical terms. A useful addition to libraries with patrons interested in an accurate but accessible description of developmental biology. General readers; undergraduates through faculty. P. Guilfoile; Bemidji State University
目录
Painting a picture |
Copying and creating |
A question of interpretation |
A case of mistaken identity |
The internal world of colour |
Evolution of locks and keys |
The hidden skeleton |
The expanding canvas |
Refining a pattern |
Creative reproduction |
Scents and sensitivities |
Responding to the environment |
Elaborating on asymmetry |
Beneath the surface |
Themes and variations |
Shifting forms |
The story of colour |
The art of Heath Robinson |
Sources of quotations |
Bibliography |
Glossary |
Figure acknowledgements |
Index |