What tells a tiny embryo to develop into an elephant, rose, platypus, or spotted eagle ray? How does one cell multiply into countless varied cells, into such complex structures? In this fascinating account, biologist Lewis Wolpert unlocks the mysteries of the little-known field of embryology, showing how the embryo exploits a group of basic, elegant, and universal mechanisms in order to develop into a fully formed creature. Along the way, we discover why all calico cats are female; encounter a a fruit fly engineered to grow ...
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What tells a tiny embryo to develop into an elephant, rose, platypus, or spotted eagle ray? How does one cell multiply into countless varied cells, into such complex structures? In this fascinating account, biologist Lewis Wolpert unlocks the mysteries of the little-known field of embryology, showing how the embryo exploits a group of basic, elegant, and universal mechanisms in order to develop into a fully formed creature. Along the way, we discover why all calico cats are female; encounter a a fruit fly engineered to grow a leg out of its head; and find out why there seems to be a 110 year age barrier for the human body. Engagingly written and illustrated with striking examples, this book offers a dazzling look at the marvels of modern biology.
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