Reviews

On the Future of Species

A lucid and occasionally unsettling account of an under-appreciated technological revolution that will affect us all, allowing humanity to attempt what Darwin believed only nature could accomplish: to write the next chapter of life.

A thoughtful history and astute reading of the current state of biology.

  • David A. Shaywitz, Wall Street Journal

Raises some of the most challenging philosophical and ethical issues that humankind has ever had to address

A sweeping account of the history and science behind this transformational technology

  • Kate Adamala, Nature

On the Future of Species makes clear that the question is no longer whether biology can be written, but which biological possibilities must remain unwritten.

An intriguing and disturbing analysis of a biological revolution

A pocket guidebook for the public to comprehend a future where biology becomes infrastructure

Fascinatingly scary stuff to huddle under the duvet with

Considers the ungodly convergence of AI and synthetic biology

An intriguing tale…It contains much that is fascinating, enticing, and usefully provocative.

A very important and extremely timely contribution to the growing literature of books aiming to break down knowledge barriers around synthetic biology for the general population.

  • Paul Freemont, The Biologist

A lucid, thoughtful, at times troubling review of a new era of biology

Essential reading

A vital contribution to the controversial debate around genetic manipulation, that could change humanity as we know it.

  • John Green, Morning Star

Magnificent.

  • Good Reading Magazine

A visionary and exhilarating exploration of biology’s next great frontier. Adrian Woolfson has written a work of astonishing scope and imagination, charting the convergence of artificial intelligence and genome synthesis. He takes readers from the foundations of molecular genetics to the threshold of a world in which we may author entirely new species, whilst reimagining human health. Bold, lucid, and deeply original, On the Future of Species is essential reading for anyone interested in the destiny of life on Earth and beyond

  • Tim Coulson, joint head of the Department of Biology at the University of Oxford and author of A LITTLE HISTORY OF EVERYTHING FROM THE BIG BANG TO YOU

The book we need right now; a clear-eyed, comprehensive look at how AI, gene editing, and synthetic biology are converging to give humanity unprecedented power over its own evolution. Part history, part forecast, entirely compelling. Woolfson guides us through the landmarks of molecular biology with the assurance of an expert and the enthusiasm of a born storyteller. He brings a rare combination of industry experience and literary skill to one of the most consequential questions of our time. Essential reading for anyone seeking to understand where genomic technologies are taking us

  • Tom Ellis, Professor of Synthetic Genome Engineering, Imperial College London

A brilliantly crafted, sweeping exposition with profound insights essential for any citizen of the twenty-first century

  • Tim White, Professor of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley

Darwin wrote The Origin of Species in 1859. With the emergence of large language of life models – artificial biological intelligence – it was the right time to envision On the Future of Species. Woolfson delivers that in this brilliant book, a very thoughtful and thorough assessment of the profound implications of editing and rewriting our code

  • Eric Topol, founder of Scripps Research Institute and author of SUPER AGERS

Scientists already know how to read the language of DNA and to edit it. Woolfson details the new frontier-writing new DNA scripts from scratch

  • Thomas R. Cech, Nobel Prize winner and author of THE CATALYST

A terrific read that will be interesting to a very broad audience. I particularly enjoyed the blend of engagingly narrated scientific history with forecasting the future. Adrian is absolutely correct that we are embarking on a new era in which humankind will be able to create completely new kinds of biology that evolution has never explored. This is both tremendously exciting and rather scary

  • Patrick Maxwell, Regius Professor of Physic and Head of the School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge

A fascinating read exploring the principles of biology applied to medicine from a different lens. It has parallels with modern medicine with the emerging field of genome synthesis and its significant implications for healthcare, the wider environment and global health. I thoroughly recommend for all audiences, from students to healthcare professionals of all backgrounds

  • Professor Mumtaz Patel, President of the Royal College of Physicians

In On the Future of Species, Adrian Woolfson explores the profound opportunities and challenges that arise when we turn evolution upside down – beginning not with random mutation but with deliberate selection. He envisions artificial biological intelligence, where synthetic genomics converges with AI-driven predictive genomics to enable the reshaping and creation of life itself. Woolfson’s book prepares readers for the scientific, moral and societal dilemmas that will accompany such a transformation and concludes by outlining a framework – a scaffold for a manifesto – that humanity will need to deliberate as synthetic biology evolves

  • John-Arne Rottingen, CEO of the Wellcome Trust

“A dazzling and prescient dive into the Future of Species, Woolfson explores the emergence of Artificial Biological Intelligence,capable of unravelling the genome’s regulatory code. Our genomes … and those of all creatures … are riddled with “Spaghetti code” hopelessly convoluted by accidents of evolutionary history, demanding an ABI approach that unlocks a brave new world of biological possibility.”

  • Jef Boeke, Founding Director of the Institute for Systems Biology at NYU Langone Medical Center and Leader of the Sc2.0 Synthetic Yeast Genome International Consortium.

“Woolfson explores the question that many biologists are asking but few can answer: where will AI-supercharged bioscience lead us? Authoritatively defines what a ‘post-Darwinian’ future could and should look like. A hopeful guide to the ‘Brave New World’ of AI-powered bioscience.”

  • Tom Ireland, editor of The Biologist and author of The Good Virus

“Every great leap in human progress begins with a new way of seeing. For centuries, we’ve viewed biology as something to be studied. Adrian Woolfson wants us to see it as something to be authored. With AI as our collaborator, we are learning to speak the language of life itself — and in doing so, to design the future of our species. This book shows us the next frontier, where the code of life meets the code of machines, and foresight becomes the most essential human trait.”

  • Amy Webb, bestselling author of The Big Nine and The Genesis Machine

“The past two centuries have seen two profound shifts in our understanding of evolutionary biology – the C19th realisation that evolution exists and the gradual unpicking through the C20th and C21st of the genomic mechanisms that control the development of living organisms. Adrian Woolfson set out in this book the fascinating notion that we could one day – perhaps quite soon – see a third revolution in which we directly tap into this genetic code to author entirely new biological species. The implications are profound and I thoroughly encourage anyone with an interest in the natural world to read this important book.”

  • Doug Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum, London

“On the Future of Species explains how we got to understand the chemistry of life, setting the scene for a mind-blowing exploration of the opportunities opened up by this understanding for tackling diseases and possibly improving the human body. But at the same time, it offers wise council about the dangers involved in such tinkering, and points up the need for regulation. It is both timely and authoritative, and deserves to be widely read.”

  • John Gribbin, author of several bestselling books including, Science: A History, In Search of the Multiverse and Six Impossible Things.

“Adrian Woolfson has written a forward looking, detailed history, about the developments in the new field of synthetic biology whereby by rewriting the genetic code, biological functions can be added or removed from cells and organisms and entirely new species created. This history leads to the conclusion that the future of humanity includes or depends on the editing and rewriting of the human genetic code. Importantly Woolfson discusses key ethical steps that society must agree on to move forward. The book is well-timed to help stimulate discussion, as we move into CRISPR editing of human genes and some reckless attempts at human cloning.”

  • J. Craig Venter Ph.D. Founder and CEO of the J. Craig Venter Institute and leader of the teams that first sequenced the human genome and made the first synthetic genome and species.

“Woolfson’s The Future of Species offers a lucid and prescient account of the transition from natural evolution to intentional genome design. As synthetic genomics moves from editing to whole-genome rewriting, this book provides an indispensable guide to the possibilities, responsibilities, and profound choices ahead. 未来的生命 = 生命的未来”

  • Patrick Yizhi Cai, Chair Professor of Synthetic Genomics, The University of Manchester & International coordinator of Sc2.0 consortium

“Woolfson’s lucid prose describes fascinating details about the hundreds of scientists whose work allows us to speed-read genomes now, and to write genomes soon. Life on Earth will, literally, never be the same. What will new designer species do for us, and to us? This book provides essential background for urgently needed deep discussions.”

  • Randolph M. Nesse, Founding Director of the Center for Evolution and Medicine at Arizona State University, Author of Why We Get Sick: The New Science of Darwinian Medicine

In On the Origin of Species, Charles Darwin presented artificial selection as a “magician’s wand,” enabling expert human breeders to conjure into existence whatever new living forms they desired. According to Adrian Woolfson, a vastly more powerful successor now in the works is artificial biological intelligence: the AI-guided synthesis of genomes, for purposes ranging from the curing of illness to the creation of new species. On the Future of Species is at once a history of these remarkable developments, a report from the scientific and technological frontlines, and an attempt to chart a path through the morally complex territory ahead. A fascinating and important book.

  • Gregory Radick, author of Disputed Inheritance: The Battle over Mendel and the Future of Biology and Professor of History and Philosophy of Science School of Philosophy, Religion and History of Science, University of Leeds

A thoughtful and troubling reflection on the future of life, human and otherwise, prepared by a notable expert on what life used to be.

  • Antonio Damasio, Dornsife Professor of Neuroscience, Psychology and Philosophy, University of Southern California and author of Feeling & Knowing: Making Minds Conscious

We have progressed from being able to read the genetic script in our DNA, to modifying it. But we stand at a threshold where, because of a conjunction of increasingly powerful tools in both molecular biology and computation, we may in future be able to synthesize entirely new scripts and create entirely new forms of life. This book is a fascinating look at the possibilities and what their consequences might be.

  • Venki Ramakrishnan, Nobel Prize winner and author of GENE MACHINE

Newspaper Reviews

An Intelligent Person’s Guide to Genetics

This is a book for all those who feel intellectually naked if they do not keep up, at least minimally, with the most important scientific current of their time. A lucid guide to modern genetics.

  • The Sunday Telegraph

For “intelligent” read literate. Do not confuse this book with DNA for Dummies. Adrian Woolfson presses Alexander Pope, Jorge Luis Borges, Dante, Montaigne, Henry Mayhew and Professor Pepper’s Ghost into service in this canter through the conundrum of the chromosomes. This hugely enjoyable book is a reminder that there’s a lot we don’t know about DNA, too.

  • Tim Radford, The Guardian

A deeply provocative read

  • Business Times

A whirlpool exposition of evolution, the history of molecular biology, molecular genetics, and the future

  • British Medical Journal

Intelligently provocative

  • New Scientist

Reading this book feels like having a conversation over dinner with a cultured, witty, and well-informed companion.

  • The Lancet

An insightful tour of the history of genetics

  • San Diego Union Tribune

Elegant, impressive, sophisticated, and lucid

  • The Weekly Standard

Each chapter is a neat exposition in a complex field, stuffed with intriguing well-told reports of genetic discoveries.

  • FK O’Neill, Heredity

Dummies and idiots are not the intended audience for Woolfson’s elegant summary, with its impressive bibliography and often sophisticated discussions of genetic science. Woolfson’s book tackles the history and current state of genetic science, in the process offering definitions and explanations of the basic features of the science, descriptions of important discoveries, and discussion of the attendant forces that influence and interact with DNA…Woolfson’s achievement is his ability to explain complicated scientific processes in lucid prose, marshaling metaphors that clarify rather than obscure the material. Of the nucleosome, for example, the group of proteins that packages DNA, Woolfson writes, “It functions much like the chaperones who used to accompany Victorian ladies on their excursions, determining whether the DNA is allowed to have access to visiting proteins or not.” To read someone of clinical experience and scientific expertise who is also such a deft writer is a rare treat.

  • Christine Rosen, Washington Examiner

Life Without Genes

Gloriously playful, enticing, eye-opening and heartening.

  • Scotsman

Woolfson writes beautifully and at the same time, he entertains and informs…I thoroughly enjoyed it.

  • Charalambos Kyriacou, Times Higher Educational Supplement

A remarkable book in a new literary form, which leads us like a modern Alice through dreary wonderlands of potentiality. These imaginative excursions depict many layers of complexity. Few readers will be failed to be helped out of the mental rut that tends to limit the imagination of most, and many will be charmed. Laced with unexpected curiosities, Life Without Genes is excellent and could be of great importance.

  • John Godfrey, Nature

Life Without Genes is always readable and absorbing, using a riot of metaphors to illuminate its point to lucidly explain what genes are and how they work. En route we learn not only about RNA, DNA, genes, how the crocodile holds its breath, slavery among ants, and much other zoology and botany to boot, but even what Puccini said to Caruso on first hearing him sing.

  • A.C. Grayling, Financial Times

Fascinating and bold, interesting and profound.

  • Michael Barrett, New Statesman

Fine-woven from dreams, swooping around the outer edges of the imaginable, Life Without Genes takes us to some mind-boggling conceptual spaces, conjuring into existence frightening Borgesian worlds, to make us question our assumptions about life. Communicating a sophisticated understanding of cutting-edge genetics research. Wildly, ferally, enjoyable.

  • Lisa Gee, Scotland on Sunday

A lucid and entertaining account of genetic processes, their importance, and limitations. From Airfix kit-inspired Just-So stories to lucid descriptions of the works of the mathematician Ilya Prigone, Woolfson is a virtuoso in full command of extraordinary material.

  • Simon Ings

Playful, filled with important and fascinating ideas, as well as entertaining metaphors.

  • Lewis Wolpert, Times Literary Supplement

A pleasure to read.

  • Ian Stewart, author of Does God Play Dice? and Life’s Other Secret

Be not afraid of the title. Adrian Woolfson loosens the meaning of the terms life and genes to provide us with new toys in the great playground of possibilities where perhaps we will come to understand the origins of life. It is serious fun.

  • Graham Cairns-Smith, author of Seven Clues to the Origin of Life

Incredibly versatile and ebullient. One of the most exciting reads in years.

  • Alan Kersey, Cambridge Evening News

There must have been a mix-up at the publishers. Some hapless office junior dropped the manuscript for Alice in Wonderland and A Textbook of Genetics on the way to the photocopier and got them confused. The result is a book that jumps from the laws of thermodynamics straight into bizarre tales about the King of the Crocodiles who talks in rhyme. Woolfson alters the definition of life to reveal that our distant ancestors might have been just whisps of chemicals floating in an ancient ocean. His theories are very convincing. Anyone who has ever wondered how a planet of rocks and boiling seas could have given birth to Mozart and the Spice Girls will find the answer here.

  • Sarah Playforth, Manchester Evening News

Woolfson’s dizzying imaginary journeys into gene space, and other even more extensive spaces, give a whole new meaning to ‘thought experiments’. This book lets you into the mind of a modern biologist.

  • Jon Turney, Welcome Trust

Bringing together the latest insights from genetics and cyberculture, this book contends that all life can be conceived of as information. It explores future developments in genetics, both as a consequence of Darwinian natural selection and under the influence of genetic engineering. The ideas are illustrated by writing that draws on a range of surreal examples including hypermarkets containing every toy in the universe, pufferfish that think like flies, Peter Pan-like trips through human genes and creatures that evolve in months and not millennia.

  • Amazon