Evolving Tomorrow: Genetic Engineering and the Evolutionary Future of the Anthropocene

The Anthropocene is a time period of human disturbance to the natural world, with advances in genetic engineering allowing us to shape the DNA of living organisms and determine the evolution of novel species. This book explores the potential future of life on Earth, including conservation, rewilding, de-extinction, and the creation of viable populations of new species.

Format: Hardback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 22 June 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press

The Anthropocene is a time period on Earth marked by significant and potentially irreversible human interference in the natural world, encompassing habitat destruction, mass extinction, and global climate change. In response to the urgent need to mitigate and repair the damage that poses a threat to our dwindling resources and very existence, humanity is implementing massive interventions to merge modern technologies with long-established natural processes. Advancements in genetic engineering have brought us to the brink of directly manipulating the DNA of every living organism, including ourselves, and determining the evolution of entirely novel species.

The author invites the reader to embark on a journey exploring how humans have harnessed the ancient forces of evolution and the potential future of genetic engineering for conservation and rewilding, de-extinction, and even the creation of viable populations of entirely new species. To delve into these possibilities, the author challenges us to confront the threats and ethical conundrums that arise from unintended consequences, as well as the values that humanity holds dear regarding authenticity in nature. Through this accessible and thought-provoking book, we gain insights into the potential future of life on our planet Earth.

Dimension: 246 x 171 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780198874522