Gene Machine: The Race To Decipher The Secrets Of The Ribosome
A fantastic read. Not a popular science book in the sense that you learn a huge amount about a scientific topic, although I certainly know more about the ribosome than I did prior to reading it. But instead provides a brilliant insight into the world of scientific discovery and the collaboration, competition, and politics involved. A light read but a well told story of a truly fascinating discovery and the journey to a Nobel prize. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in the lives of scientists and process of scientific breakthroughs. Above all else, it felt like a completely honest account of the events, the ups and the downs of the processes.
Science is so frequently shown to the public as a finalised product and rarely do we get an insight to the years of work behind the important discoveries. This, more than anything, is why I think people should read this book. It is important to recognise the amount of work, dedication, and persistence that occurs behind the scenes to make these discoveries a reality. The last year and a half with the pandemic has highlighted this. With people doubting the development of vaccines, thinking that it has come about too quickly and therefore must have been rushed, could benefit from understanding how much work really goes on behind scientific discoveries.