Rating: 
Summary: Biotech's Greatest Hits
Review: As a review in The New York Post put it, "Once they read this book, modern-day gloom and doom prophet Jeremy Rifkin and his British counterpart, Dr. Mae-Wan Ho - folks Fumento calls 'futurephobes' - will have to go back to the drawing board and think of new ways to scare people about biotechnology." In a consumer-friendly, entertaining style, Fumento covers a huge range of topics that essentially amounts to "biotech's greatest hits." When you consider how exciting biotech is in general, you know this is one hell of a book. It covers
breakthroughs in cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and a huge number of diseases and disease treatments related to aging such as one that not only slows bone loss (osteoporosis) but literally REVERSES it. (It's called Forteo and it's already in
use.) In fact, one of the most exciting aspects of the book is the huge number and variety of biotech treatments in various stages of testing with the potential to slow or even stop aging not just of bones or brains but essentially the whole body,
extending lifespans well past the supposed 120-year limit. For example, mice have been made to live a third longer simply by flipping off a single gene. And if it works in mice there's every reason to think it works in humans. In another experiment, old human skin was attached to the backs of rodents and given an enzyme that made the skin like that of a baby. This same enzyme is involved in the aging process of about 85 percent of the cells in our bodies. The fountain of youth could well be within the grasp of even the oldest members of the baby boomer generation. Fumento also discusses plant biotechnology that will bring foods that are more nutritious, safer because the allergens have been removed, require far less pesticide spraying and fertilizer, and can provide yields four times or greater than those currently possible. This would seem to be an environmentalist's dream (think of how much land can be turned back to forest or wetlands) yet Fumento notes that environmental groups like Greenpeace insist on calling it "Frankenfood." Well, call it what you want because it's biotech that's going to feed the three million more people the earth will add by 2050 and it's biotech that's going to make residents of the poorest countries healthier than those of the richest countries are now. With Christmas coming, if you need some stocking stuffers look no further than Michael Fumento's BioEvolution.
Rating:
Summary: Hope for the future, in general...and my own!
Review: BioEvolution is a superb book! I have a progressive form of MS, and due to both my disease and my location, keep up with some of the progress in this arena. Just how Mr. Fumento does keep on top of pretty much all biotechnological developments is an awe-inspiring mystery. I found his sources and footnotes, as always, completely trustworthy. His interpretation of those sources is "wildly accurate", at least in my very humble opinion! I have many times nearly given up any hope of cure for my own and others' diseases, but BioEvolution presents a different future for "us afflictees"--and Mr. Fumento often is more conservative than most in his "predictions". BioEvolution is a book of hope--hope that will come to be. I keep my copy on my dresser and re-read it frequently. Definitely a must-read!
Rating:
Summary: Hope for the future, in general...and my own!
Review: BioEvolution is a superb book! I have a progressive form of MS, and due to both my disease and my location, keep up with some of the progress in this arena. Just how Mr. Fumento does keep on top of pretty much all biotechnological developments is an awe-inspiring mystery. I found his sources and footnotes, as always, completely trustworthy. His interpretation of those sources is "wildly accurate", at least in my very humble opinion! I have many times nearly given up any hope of cure for my own and others' diseases, but BioEvolution presents a different future for "us afflictees"--and Mr. Fumento often is more conservative than most in his "predictions". BioEvolution is a book of hope--hope that will come to be. I keep my copy on my dresser and re-read it frequently. Definitely a must-read!
Rating:
Summary: A realistic and optimistic apology for biotechnology
Review: Every facet of biotechnology is fascinating, and even those embedded in it as scientist, engineer, or technican are always surprised at the rapid advancements in it that are now taking place. The biological world is an enormously complex picture puzzle, the pieces of which, thanks to powerful computational machines, advanced mathematics, and artificial intelligence, are just beginning to be fitted together. Once thought of as a purely descriptive science, biology is now quantitative, and engineers, physicists, and mathematicians are moving into it with great zeal. Readers of all backgrounds will obtain an overview of the breathtaking advances in biotechnology in this book. It is fortunate that the author is not a sycophant for the biotechnology industry, but instead gives a sound apology for it, supported by scholarly evidence and references. Indeed, the book contains 147 pages of references and hyperlinks for the reader to consult if needed. Even if the reader does not have a background in biology or genetics, the presentation is detailed enough that such a reader can obtain the much needed insight into the powerful role that biotechnology will play in the twenty-first century. Biotechnology, via transgenic strategies and other techniques in genetic engineering, has permuted the natural world, and has produced animals and plants that have surpassed, and will greatly surpass, any of the dreams of science fiction. Even more importantly, as is brought out in detail by the author, these animals and plants are bringing new ways to feed hungry populations and heal the sick. The human imagination is challenged by these discoveries, and no doubt will be even more so in the near future, as biotechnology continues its unrelenting advance.
Indeed, one reads of spider genes inserted in goats, producing silk in their udders, and giving us ample amounts of the strongest fiber yet known. The benefits? Tissue repair, artificial tendons, and body armor for soldiers, to name a few the author mentions... the creation of transgenic mice that secrete human growth hormone in their ejaculate...eggs of transgenic chickens that have fourteen proteins....the list goes on and on. A perusal of his references reveals many more. The database of new animals and plants keeps growing and growing. The author is fair in his assessment of viable biotechnologies, cautions against "science by press release", utopianism, and alerts the reader to the legal issues that confront the use of the different biotechnologies. His confidence and optimism though are refreshing and inspiring. He ends his book with the following words: "The process has begun and it's accelerating. The ultimate benefits are unimaginable, while the near-term ones are incredible. Hold onto the bar in front of you and don't stand up. We're in for one heck of thrill ride." He's right!
Rating: 
Summary: A good overview but be skeptical of the details and bias
Review: I am a biomedical scientist. Although I am very familiar with my immediate field (vaccine design), I simply cannot keep up with the pace of biotechnology. For this reason I did find this book useful by providing an overview of biotechnology. I do warn non-scientist readers though. It is very obvious that Michael Fumento is not a scientist and does not understand the basic principles of biology. As just one example, DNA is not made up of two strands of protein, as stated on page 10. His lack of a biology background is further reiterated by the lack of references to primary scientific literature. I would gather that he is not comfortable with interpreting such literature. This is unfortunate as this is a requirement for someone to write authoritively on such a subject. For these reasons, I would not take most of his "conclusions" seriously. There is a tremendous amount of bias in this book and it is not well founded with a good understanding of biological concepts. I did use several of his references as a starting point to do my own literature research to better understand areas of biotechnology.
Rating:
Summary: I hope he's right
Review: It is difficult to get comprehensive, reliable and up-to-date discussions of the new advances in biotechnology. But this book comes pretty close to doing just that. Written by a journalist and researcher who has been following the issue for over a decade now, Bioevolution is a very readable and helpful look at a whole range of new developments in the world of biotechnology.
Pretty much all the hot topics are covered here, including gene therapy, stem cell research, genetically modified foods, the Human Genome Project, xenotransplantation, cloning, biopesticides and designer babies.
Given the nature of such topics, it is helpful to discover where an author stands on several fronts. Concerning the debate over whether the new technologies are good or bad, Fumento would side with the optimists, arguing that while the new biotech industry is not without its perils and downside, the advantages nonetheless outweigh the disadvantages. Thus he is no Luddite, but neither is he a techno-utopian. He simply believes much of the developments are good, and good for us.
This reviewer would argue that he perhaps errs too much on the side of optimism and confidence in where this revolution is taking us. It seems that there are always a number of lurking dangers, including the risk that vested interests may call the shots. Whether in the form of Big Biotech putting profit ahead of principle, or simply in placing too much faith in science and technology, one can easily get carried away with the adrenalin rush of discovery and progress, while failing to see the ethical and social implications.
A second way of sizing up this book and the author's perspective is also quite important. Many of the new technologies directly impinge upon questions of life, death and personhood. In the issue of embryonic stem cell research, for example, stem cells can only be extracted from a week old embryo, something many, including this reviewer, consider to be the very early stages of human life, and therefore should not be sacrificed for the possible good of others.
In this debate Fumento is not necessarily in the pro-life camp, but neither is he unaware of the concerns. Indeed, he regards abortion as a "moral dilemma that swamps any ethical problem I can even conceive of regarding biotech". This, his only direct mention of abortion, is in fact one of the few times in the book that he does wade into ethical considerations.
Having said that, perhaps one of the strongest chapters in the book, at least from a pro-life point of view, is his chapter on stem cells. Here his investigative journalism skills and his unwillingness to be bluffed by a biased media shine through. He rightly points out that the general public is often unaware that there are in fact two sources of stem cells: one's own body, and new embryos. He illustrates how some in the biotech world, along with a sympathetic media, are largely responsible for this public confusion.
The truth is we have no success with embryonic stem cells to date, while many hundreds of human cures have been obtained from adult stem cells. And the latter do not involve any ethical dilemmas, as the former do. Fumento does a good job of looking at the politics behind this debate, and how the issue is so easily distorted and misreported.
Fumento ends his book by declaring that the future of biotechnolgy is "bright indeed". It may be. But it is also possible that the warnings of Brave New World or 1984 may still be the more accurate way in which history plays itself out in the years ahead. If even half of the somewhat rosy scenarios painted in this volume do eventuate, then there may be some real hope indeed. But if Fumento has erred on the side of being overly optimistic, then troubled days may lie ahead. But wherever the new biotechnologies lead us, this volume does a very good job of unpacking the science, the promise, and the possibilities of the way ahead.
Rating:
Summary: The first book to explain in depth what biotech is doing
Review: Michael Fumento's BioEvolution: How Biotechnology Is Changing Our World is the first book to explain in depth what biotech is doing, its exceptionally fast scientific advances and discoveries, and its potential for impact on human lives. From its potential to cure the most challenging diseases to its promise to increase life spans and quality, this pro-bioevolution title considers all the benefits of its research directions.
Rating:
Summary: A Real World Yellow-Brick Road!
Review: Michael Fumento's proof-based approach is totally fresh, based on actual events and current research, not opinionated rhetoric or a personal or political agenda. That in itself, is rare, as so many narrow and selfish outside agendas pollute the biotech environment, making it difficult, if not impossible, to separate fact from fancy, opportunity from caution, or even completed research and testing from deliberate misinformation. Conversely, Mr. Fumento's examples are fully documented, even to the extent of a fully documented bibliography section, including names and email contact addresses for both scientific researchers and their corporate or research entities. This alone sets the book well apart, as the reader is provided with documentation that allows evidence to take precedence over opinion or skepticism. Mr. Fumento accepts the challenge of anti-biotech activism without prejudice, patiently addressing even the more ill-founded of objections with care and attention. Biotech objections and concerns are addressed in detail, not dismissed, a plus not often attributable to anti-biotech proponents. This is a book related to the rapid growth of modern scientific achievement, but it is as fair and even-handed as I have ever encountered, even though it is optimistic. In short, Mr. Fumento's well organized work is a masterpiece of good research, excellent writing, magnificently argued reason, honest compassion, and personal courage. Beyond such rare attributes, he has done a great and I hope, enduring, service to millions of us, readers or not, perhaps billions of people most of us will never meet or who will never know that Mr. Fumento was their benefactor. Moreover, because of his passion for the material inadequacies of less affluent others, we may discover that he has helped to shorten the time frame in which we will continue to read about starvation, malnutrition, avoidable disease, blindness and premature death, all stiking the least able to care for themselves; children. People who better inform themselves by reading Bio Evolution will find themselves to be well fortified to separate the 'blue sky' of biotech from its achievable promise. For both the reader predisposed to rational argument or for the confirmed prior opponent of biotech, Mr. Fumento presents an approach to that must be confronted without prejudice, certainly not dismissed as biotech propaganda. Read it and form your own opinion on what is certain to change your life. It is an exciting book, and one which responsible citizens will find rewarding. Walton Cook, author of Buzzword, biotech novel.
Rating: 
Summary: BIOEVOLUTION
Review: One realizes relatively soon after beginning to read this book that the author is primarily a journalist, not a scientist. He is not comfortable with scientific facts (e.g., states that antibodies are white blood cells) and many of his references are from the popular press or the internet rather than scientific journals. His account also is very one sided in its cheerleading for the use of biotechnology with very little mention of the downsides. On several occasions he injects his own personal morality in the use of such things as embryonic stem cells and equates it with abortion. He also implies that there is no difference between using cloning for medical and reproductive reasons because the only difference is the "minor" detail that a cloned egg cell is placed in a uterus for reproductive purposes but not for medical purposes. This is hardly a minor detail. The fact that the author is associated with the Hudson Institute may explain the basic thrust of the book.
Having said that, the book does cover a wide range of endeavor in which biotechnology is playing an important role so that even if the information is not as cogent as it might be, it does act as a liftoff point from where to begin searching for information. For that reason alone, it is valuable and if bought used, the price is right.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting, but slightly one-sided
Review: There truly is a vacuum that needs to be filled for more books on biotech. This book does a decent job filling this gap but falls short when it comes to telling both sides of the story. Author Michael Fumento spends most of his time explaining how biotechnology can provide the solution to most of the world's problems, namely: world hunger, disease, toxic waste, and the human life span. What's missing is any sort of criticism of biotechnology; he makes it seem like there are absolutely no negative effects to the proposed biotech solutions. Specifically, I found his all out praise of genetically engineered crops a little hard to digust (pun intended.)
Bottomline: If you're looking for a critical treatise on biotechnology, this book is not for you.
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