WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?

The popular science master investigates what makes you the unique individual you are. From the atomic level, through life and energy to genetics and personality, the book explores how the billions of particles which make up your DNA, your skin, your memories have come to be. It starts with the present day reader and follows a number of trails to discover their origins - how the atoms in your body were created and how they got to you in space and time, the sources of things you consume, how the living cells of your body developed, where your massive brain and consciousness originated, how human beings evolved, ultimately, what your personal genetic history reveals. Full of fascinating true stories featuring royal ancestors, stellar deaths, real-life hobbits and a self-reproducing crayfish to name but a few in this one-of-a-kind voyage of 'self' discovery. From the publisher: 'Around 50% of what makes you you is genetic and epigenetic - yet you share 96% of your genes with a chimp (and 60 with a banana). The hydrogen in your body was created soon after the Big Bang around 13.5 billion years ago. The chemical elements that make up your body are worth around £125.' Delight in science with the master. 240 page paperback with diagrams.