The Secrets of our DNA (Paperback)

Professor Turi King

ISBN 10: 1529980755 / ISBN 13: 9781529980752

Published by Transworld Publishers Ltd, London, 2026

About this Item

Paperback. From the UK's pre-eminent authority on DNA and genetic research, a myth-busting book that provides a window into the world of modern genetics and shows how it informs so many areas of 21st century life.Go back even a quarter of a century and few people would have heard of DNA, except perhaps in a forensic case. Now genetics plays a part of our everyday culture and our interest in genetics is booming, particularly in the form of direct-to-consumer genetic testing for health, family history and ancestry testing.So how did we get to the point where our understanding, and misunderstanding of genetics became so commonplace? Professor Turi King, the UK's preeminent scientist in DNA and genetics takes us on a journey through the key cases, legal and otherwise, which explain modern genetics and how it now informs policing, personal histories, migration, politics and health. From eugenics, to mistaken dinosaur DNA, the OJ Simpson trial to Angelina Jolie's BRACA1 gene, we are led through the science to discover how genetics has impacted and shaped our society, and how our growing knowledge of the building blocks of life can inform our understanding of our past and how it will affect our future. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9781529980752

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Secrets of our DNA (Paperback)
• Publisher: Transworld Publishers Ltd, London
• Publication Date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1529980755
• ISBN 13: 9781529980752
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

ONE OF NEW SCIENTIST'S BEST NEW SCIENCE BOOKS OF THE YEAR SO FAR: 'An insider's must-read book.'

'From the scientist who identified the remains of Richard III, this lively, myth-busting tour of modern genetics unpacks how DNA solves crimes, rewrites history and shapes our lives. It brims with timely questions about what our genes can (and can't) reveal.' - i-paper


'Unequivocally expert.' Sunday Times


'Combines fascinating history and science with brilliant storytelling' - Professor Alice Roberts, anatomist and bestselling author of Domination


'A glimpse into the fascinating world of DNA under the guidance of a true expert…Accessible, enjoyable and thought provoking.' - Professor Sue Black, forensic scientist and bestselling author of All That Remains

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DNA has become one of the most powerful tools in modern science; From unlocking crime and immigration cases, to ensuring our food and animal safety, to resolving questions of history and archaeology, ancestry and even, for some, identity.

In this eye-opening book, Professor Turi King ― the scientist who identified the remains of Richard III in a Leicester car park ― uncovers how genetics is changing the way we understand the world. Through compelling real-life cases, she shows how DNA has solved crimes, rewritten history, and reshaped ideas of who we are.

From the O. J. Simpson trial to mistaken dinosaur DNA, from Dolly the sheep to Angelina Jolie’s BRCA1 gene, King brings genetics to life with fascinating examples that reveal what DNA can - and can’t - tell us about who we are.

She reminds us that while our DNA can reveal a predisposition to certain diseases and conditions, it doesn’t determine our future. And, perhaps most importantly, she shows why we all need to be part of the conversation about how new genetic discoveries are used for the benefit of life on Earth.

Compelling, compassionate, and entirely captivating, The Secrets of Our DNA is the must-read book about how genetics has changed – and is changing - the world.

About the Author

Professor Turi King is renowned for presenting complex findings on DNA and genetic science in an accessible and compelling way and has won awards for her public engagement in science. She is Director of the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath and was previously Professor of Genetics and Public Engagement at the University of Leicester. She is an Honorary Fellow of the British Science Association, a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, a Member of the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences and a Member of the International Society of Forensic Genetics. She is well known both for her academic work leading the genetics and identification Richard III, advising on the case of Mary Jane Kelly (the last victim of Jack the Ripper), leading the project on sequencing Hitler’s genome as well as her media work co-presenting BBC’s DNA Family Secrets, as well as presenting podcasts, both her own and for the likes of Audible and the BBC.