Try free for 30 days

Preview
  • Higher Animals

  • Vaccines, Synthetic Biology, and the Future of Life
  • By: Michael Specter
  • Narrated by: Michael Specter
  • Length: 4 hrs and 11 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (3 ratings)

1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Higher Animals

By: Michael Specter
Narrated by: Michael Specter
Try Premium Plus free

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $24.99

Buy Now for $24.99

Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.

Publisher's Summary

In Higher Animals, New Yorker science writer Michael Specter explores how MRNA vaccines have transformed the scientific landscape and helped spark a biotechnology revolution.

Biology is information, and increasingly, that means digital information. We need to think of biology the way we think about computer code, only instead of bits and bytes, we use the genetic letters: ACGT. The widely-used mRNA COVID vaccines offer the most immediate example of this groundbreaking moment in medical and scientific history.

In many ways, the urgency of the pandemic has made the vast potential of mRNA technology obvious. The recent successes of synthetic biology—a field in which scientists seek to combine elements of engineering, chemistry, computer science, and molecular biology—could create highly personalized cancer treatments, energy sources that we can grow rather than dig out of the ground, and ways to save species that are vanishing at an alarming rate.

As is often the case with new technologies, many people remain reluctant to accept these advances. And the stakes could not be higher. We are in the early years of a new evolutionary paradigm. What we do now will decide how we usher in a remarkable—and potentially dangerous—new era.

©2023 Pushkin Industries (P)2023 Pushkin Industries

What listeners say about Higher Animals

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    3
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic introduction to synthetic biology!

I originally came across Michael Specter in a conversation he had with Adam Conover in his podcast 'Factually' which was so interesting I hunted down this audiobook. Michael presents a nuanced and interesting perspective of past present and potential future applications of synthetic biology and the impact it has and will have on our lives and the environment around us. This is a great piece of science communication and makes me think we need more people like Michael to show off the fantastic work scientists are doing in labs around the world.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.