Includes bibliographical references and index

Foreword xiii -- Genes before DNA 1 -- Information is Everywhere 20 -- The Transformation of Genes 34 -- A Slow Revolution 53 -- The Age of Control 73 -- The Double Helix 89 -- Genetic Information 110 -- The Central Dogma 130 -- Enzyme Cybernatics 151 -- Enter the Outsiders 173 -- The Race 196 -- Update 219 -- Surprises and Sequences 220 -- The Central Dogma Revisited 250 -- Brave New World 267 -- Origins and Meanings 286 -- Conclusion 309 -- Glossary and Acronyms 316 -- Further Reading 319 -- Acknowledgments 321 -- References 323 -- Notes 373 -- List of Illustrations 405 -- Index 407

Life's Greatest Secret is the story of the discovery and cracking of the genetic code. This great scientific breakthrough has had far-reaching consequences for how we understand ourselves and our place in the natural world. The code forms the most striking proof of Darwin's hypothesis that all organisms are related, holds tremendous promise for improving human well-being, and has transformed the way we think about life. Matthew Cobb interweaves science, biography and anecdote in a book that mixes remarkable insights, theoretical dead-ends and ingenious experiments with the pace of a thriller. He describes cooperation and competition among some of the twentieth century's most outstanding and eccentric minds, moves between biology, physics and chemistry, and shows the part played by computing and cybernetics. The story spans the globe, from Cambridge MA to Cambridge UK, New York to Paris, London to Moscow. It is both thrilling science and a fascinating story about how science is done."