Description |
1 online resource |
Physical Medium |
polychrome |
Description |
text file |
Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and index. |
Contents |
Mutation theories -- An unsolved problem -- Speeding up evolution -- X-rays in the lab and field -- Industrial evolution -- Artificial tetraploidy -- Evolution to order -- Better evolution through chemistry -- Tinkering technologists -- The flower manufacturers -- Radiation revisited -- Mutation politics -- An atomic-age experiment station -- Atomic gardens -- The peaceful atom in global agriculture. |
Summary |
In the mid-20th century, American plant breeders, frustrated by their dependence on natural variation in creating new crops and flowers, eagerly sought technologies that could extend human control over nature. Their search led them to celebrate a series of strange tools: an x-ray beam directed at dormant seeds, a drop of chromosome-altering colchicine on a flower bud, and a piece of radioactive cobalt in a field of growing crops. According to scientific and popular reports of the time, these mutation-inducing methods would generate variation on demand, in turn allowing breeders to genetically engineer crops and flowers to order. Creating a new crop or flower would soon be as straightforward as innovating any other modern industrial product. 'In Evolution Made to Order', Helen Anne Curry traces the history of America's pursuit of tools that could speed up evolution. |
Local Note |
eBooks on EBSCOhost EBSCO eBook Subscription Academic Collection - North America |
Subject |
Umschulungswerkstätten für Siedler und Auswanderer Bitterfeld. |
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Plant mutation breeding -- United States -- History -- 20th century.
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Plant mutation breeding. |
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United States. |
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History. |
Chronological Term |
20th century |
Subject |
Plant mutation breeding -- Social aspects -- United States.
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Social aspects. |
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Plant genetic engineering -- Genetic engineering -- United States -- History -- 20th century.
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Plant genetic engineering. |
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Plant genetic engineering -- Social aspects -- United States.
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Genetic engineering. |
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TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING -- Agriculture -- General. |
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Biotechnologie. |
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Gentechnologie. |
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Pflanzenzüchtung. |
Chronological Term |
1900-1999 |
Genre/Form |
Electronic books.
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History.
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Other Form: |
Print version: Curry, Helen Anne. Evolution made to order. Chicago ; London : University of Chicago Press, 2016 9780226390086 (DLC) 2015047402 (OCoLC)931476568 |
ISBN |
9780226390116 (electronic book) |
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022639011X (electronic book) |
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9780226390086 |
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022639008X |
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