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Relics of Eden: The Powerful Evidence of Evolution in Human DNA | 
| Author: Daniel J. Fairbanks
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Category: Book
List Price: $26.98
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Avg. Customer Rating:  14 reviews
Sales Rank: 39691
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 281
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.1 x 1
ISBN: 1591025648
Dewey Decimal Number: 572.838
EAN: 9781591025641
ASIN: 1591025648
Publication Date: December 13, 2007
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Condition: Direct From Distributor - Light Shelf Wear - No Remainder Mark
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Product Description
Since the publication in 1859 of Darwin's Origin of Species, debate over the theory of evolution has been continuous and often impassioned. In recent years, opponents of "Darwin's dangerous idea" have mounted history's most sophisticated and generously funded attack, claiming that evolution is "a theory in crisis." Ironically, these claims are being made at a time when the explosion of information from genome projects has revealed the most compelling and overwhelming evidence of evolution ever discovered. Much of the latest evidence of human evolution comes not from our genes, but from so-called "junk DNA," leftover relics of our evolutionary history that make up the vast majority of our DNA.Relics of Eden explores this powerful DNA-based evidence of human evolution. The "relics" are the millions of functionally useless but scientifically informative remnants of our evolutionary ancestry trapped in the DNA of every person on the planet. For example, the analysis of the chimpanzee and Rhesus monkey genomes shows indisputable evidence of the human evolutionary relationship with other primates. Over 95 percent of our genome is identical with that of chimpanzees and we also have a good deal in common with other animal species. Author Daniel J. Fairbanks also discusses what DNA analysis reveals about where humans originated. The diversity of DNA sequences repeatedly confirms the archeological evidence that humans originated in sub-Saharan Africa (the "Eden" of the title) and from there migrated through the Middle East and Asia to Europe, Australia, and the Americas. In conclusion, Fairbanks confronts the supposed dichotomy between evolution and religion, arguing that both science and religion are complementary ways to seek truth. He appeals to the vast majority of Americans who hold religious convictions not to be fooled by the pseudoscience of Creationists and Intelligent Design advocates and to abandon the false dichotomy between religion and real science. This concise, very readable presentation of recent genetic research is completely accessible to the nonspecialist and makes for enlightening and fascinating reading.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 9 more reviews...
 Very handy for defending evolution from the naysayers September 24, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The only improvement that could be made upon this book would be for Fairbanks to have been a bit more aggressive in explaining exactly HOW each piece of evidence supports evolutionary theory, and how it does NOT support the hypothesis of an intelligent designer. He does this to some extent, but Sean Carroll beats home the point better in his "The Making of the Fittest". Overall, though, this is a very good book with concise examples of molecular evidence for evolution. A brief introduction to genetics, molecular biology, and evolutionary biology, however, may have supplemented the evidence nicely so that someone who isn't well versed in these topics can see EXACTLY why the evidence is so convincing.
How robust though fragile we are September 11, 2008
Relics of Eden retraces man's history by unrefutable DNA evidence showing through the mastermoves of a very resourceful genome, unveiling our inner chimpansee, like Neil Shubin used fossil evidence for 'Your Inner Fish'. Naturally recommended!
Relics of Eden September 7, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
Helps put the DNA evidence for human evolution in clear perspective for both a tech and general audience--well done.
Reclaiming the reluctant September 2, 2008
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
The focus of resistance to Charles Darwin's "dangerous idea" was, and remains, the place of the human species. Even in Darwin's time, most educated people could perceive how natural selection solved many of the issues of life Nature posed. Humans, however, were excluded from the process in the minds of some. The thought of humanity emerging from the African continent millions of years ago stuck in the craw of those who wanted our species to be something special. That reluctance to accept the human heritage is shown to be false by this fine volume. Daniel Fairbanks offers us an excellent overview of how humans came to be. In doing so, he utilises the firmest and most secure tool in science's kit. If similar physiology and the fossil record wasn't sufficient, genetic research has proven beyond doubt that our heritage rests on the primate lineages beginning in Africa thirty million years ago.
Early genetic studies demonstrated that the genome of chimpanzees and humans were strikingly similar. More recent work has examined those similarities in greater detail. The evidence shows how specific areas in the human and chimp genomes are often duplicated exactly. Fairbanks, after noting how DNA's structure has some deceptive tricks up its molecular sleeve, explains how these have been used to trace the links between apes and humans. There are "transposons", segments of DNA that "Cut and Paste" themselves to new locations. We have many of these, but they seem to have settled down to become analytical tools. There are pseudogenes, retroelements, introns and other characteristics which add to the researcher's analytical tool kit in making studies across species. Just one example, locating pseudogenes, has permitted mapping of the divergence of orang utans, gorillas, chimpanzees and humans. Many more such examples abound in this book.
He explains how our cells contain DNA segments "independent" from the main DNA molecule in the cell's nucleus. The little energy-providing mitochondria are the result of bacteria invading ancient cells and taking up residence. These supplied the larger cell with energy while the host provided shelter to these miniscule entities. Further, he shows how the Y chromosome, which determines if the human embryo will be male, has its own "markers" to trace changes. From this, he begins to match up the human and ape genomes in building his explanation of our roots. One of the more unexpected finds was the merging of two ancient ape chromosomes into one in humans. Apes have 24 chromosomes to humans 23. Fairbanks explains how we know the fusion took place by pinpointing the loci indicating it.
Perhaps the most gripping chapter of this book is "A Spectacular Confirmation". This segment resulted from the mapping of the full Chimpanzee Genome in a manner similar to the Human Genome Project. An excellent diagram portrays the two genomes together, with the similar and differing areas clearly mapped out. One of the first things the reader will note are the little arrows showing how some human and Chimp chromosomes are reversed relative to each other. He goes on to explain how natural selection can bring such inversions about and what, if any, impact they have.
Lest all this appear to be an overwhelming academic treatise, have no fear. Fairbanks' intention is to bring this information to the widest possible audience. He does so with an almost conversational style. That clarity is enhanced by the fine illustrations accompanying the text. Only rarely is he forced to recapitulate the eye-warping string of As, Ts, Cs and Gs making up your DNA. In so doing, however, he points to the significant segment and explains its importance. That wide audience, of course, includes the element of the population still resisting the idea of natural selection and how it works. In "When Faith and Reason Clash", Fairbanks demonstrates how the US "creationist" element is misguided in claiming that evolution by natural selection and their god cannot co-exist. He shows how misconception and sometimes outright chicanery have combined to mislead the US population into continuing to buy into the Biblical "creation" account at one level or another. It's interesting in this regard that while he addresses mitochondrial DNA and the Y chromosome, he fails to point out the "first couple" of the creationist Bible would have lived eighty thousand years apart according to that research. Given the title of this book and the audience he addresses, this might be considered a major oversight. In all, this is a highly informative book, free of polemical thrusts or deep philosophical concept. It's straight science, well presented and should end one part of the struggle over our roots. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Overwhelming evidence for both common descent and natural selection September 2, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Creationists, including ID-creationists, sometimes claim that recent discoveries in molecular biology pose enormous problems for Darwinism; but Fairbanks shows that the latest DNA evidence actually provides overwhelming confirmation for two of the most important aspects of Darwinian evolution: common descent and natural selection.
What's more, as if to goad the creationists, Fairbanks focuses primarily on the one species that creationists care about the most: homo sapiens.
Regarding common descent, Fairbanks uses the simple analogy of copying a document on a series of photocopiers, each of which has a slightly different defect, i.e., "mutation," on the copier surface. An orderly process of photocopying will produce an orderly, branching pattern of "mutations" in the copies, making it possible to deduce the "genealogy" of individual copies. Likewise, if orangutans, gorillas, chimps, and humans branched off in that order from a common ancestor, then their DNA should reflect an orderly, branching pattern of mutations too. Fairbanks analyzes a number of examples showing that DNA evidence reveals the branching pattern predicted by Darwin's common descent hypothesis over and over again.
Regarding natural selection, some of Fairbanks' evidence involves coding and non-coding segments of DNA. Coding segments have important functions, which presumably would be difficult to change. Non-coding sequences, on the other hand, generally don't seem to have important functions, and presumably can mutate freely. Obviously therefore, if natural selection is true, then descendant species should have more mutations in non-coding segments than in coding segments. And that's exactly what this particular type of evidence shows. Fairbanks describes other types of DNA evidence that also confirm predictions derived from Darwin's natural selection hypothesis.
This was a fascinating, informative book. There is some technical language, of course, but it's not overwhelming at all. Fairbanks' explanations and examples are simple enough for even a layman to grasp.
If I had one complaint, it would be that Fairbanks didn't really highlight the stark contrast between evolution's making thousands upon thousands of successful predictions and ID's failure to make even a single meaningful prediction. Not even one! Scientific theories are judged by the significance and the success of their predictions. Since ID doesn't generate any significant predictions at all, it's not even in the game.
Despite that minor quibble, Fairbanks' marshalling of DNA evidence really was impressive. DNA evidence is generally considered to be conclusive in criminal and civil court cases, and juries literally make life-and-death decisions based on that evidence. For creationists to ignore the overwhelming DNA evidence in this case reveals the blindness of their faith.
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