In the Beginning was the Worm: Finding the Secrets of Life in a Tiny Hermaphrodite - Brief Article - Book Review

Science News, Nov 15, 2003

ANDREW BROWN

The nematode worm has only 959 cells, yet it is one of the most intensely studied and scientifically documented animals on Earth. In Caenorhabditis elegans, scientists discovered the phenomenon of programmed cell death, which explains how biological development occurs in animals. The worm was the first multicellular organism to have its genetic code mapped, and this finding secured a Nobel prize for the trio of John Sulston, Bob Horvitz, and Sydney Brenner. Brown blends the story of this extended dissection of the worm with the stories of these three men devoted to understanding the creature. He illustrates how the story of the worm stretches across the history of molecular biology and the understanding of biological development in animals, from worms to people. Columbia U Pr, 2003, 244 p., hardcover, $27.95.