Mark Cocker

Life is a far richer, more complicated affair than we imagined

Exploring the new biology, Philip Ball explains how genes do not in fact determine our fate, and how cells can be reprogrammed to perform all kinds of new tasks

Axolotls have the ability to regenerate complete limbs, and some researchers believe that humans will ultimately be able to do the same. [Getty Images]
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  • How Life Works: A User’s Guide to the New Biology

    Philip Ball

    Picador, pp. 520, £22

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