Teosinte began as a series of poems and then merged with the symbolism of Regina Szczypiorski's art. It is structured on the seven days and nights of the Mayan Underworld. A parallel story emerged with the author's diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in December 2010. This book is an honest account of one woman processing the system of cancer treatment in our country. It was written in the form of poetry and journals over a period of ten years, culminating with the assertion of a new myth; a myth that responds to the common theme of the phoenix across cultures and traditions; a myth that states the phoenix has landed, built her nest, burned and flew ... and now it's time to move forward. "After a less than ideal childhood and a difficult adult life, being hit with cancer did not make sense to me. I knew as soon as I was diagnosed I would write a book. My oldest son asked me if I thought about reading some self-help/survivor stories and I replied to him, 'No, I'm writing one.' That was Christmas Day 2010."

FROM SEED TO PLATE - THE SEASONS OF A REMARKABLE CROP "Part love song to an ancient grain, part elevated instruction on how to grow, cook and consume it, part history and animated story, Beautiful Corn opens our eyes to a food plant that humans have both cultivated and been cultivated by." ---Michael Ableman, farmer, author of "From The Good Earth, On Good Land, and Fields Of Plenty" Corn is the grain of the Americas. In terms of culinary uses, it is amazingly diverse, reflecting the breathtaking variety of the continents and environments from which it evolved. The consummate immigrant, corn is grown extensively on every continent except Antarctica. Much more than a simple how-to book, "Beautiful Corn" weaves together this unique plant's contribution to our culture, its distinctive biology and the practical information needed to grow and enjoy it at home. Market farmer and naturalist Anthony Boutard advocates a return to this traditional, nourishing and beautiful whole grain, in all of its rich diversity. Come along on this lyrical and inspiring journey through the seasons, and discover the pure joy of restoring heritage corn varieties to our tables. An unabashed celebration of a much-maligned culinary treasure, Beautiful Corn will forever change the way you view this remarkable plant. "Anthony Boutard tells a story of corn we haven't heard--not as fuel, or livestock feed, or food product--but as whole food, with the flavor and diversity that comes with thoughtful farming. Part history, part how-to manual (Boutard grows, grinds and cooks corn in all its variations), "Beautiful Corn" returns the culture, and the cuisine, to our most abundant and mistreated crop."---Dan Barber, Chef / Co-Owner, Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns "In this lyrical love letter to an ancient, fascinating food, Anthony Boutard offers us a rich harvest of history, a primer on growing the best varieties, the close observations of a brilliant, insatiably curious farmer, and some tasty recipes to boot."--Lorna Sass, author of the James Beard Award winning "Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way" Anthony Boutard is a widely recognized advocate in the local food movement, well-known for his efforts in reviving long-lost crops and bringing little-known varieties to market. He and his wife Carol own Ayers Creek Farm, a 144-acre organic market farm in Gaston, Oregon specializing in berries, beans, grains and greens for sale to local restaurants and markets.

The Arthur M. Sackler Colloquia of the National Academy of Sciences address scientific topics of broad and current interest, cutting across the boundaries of traditional disciplines. Each year, four or five such colloquia are scheduled, typically two days in length and international in scope. Colloquia are organized by a member of the Academy, often with the assistance of an organizing committee, and feature presentations by leading scientists in the field and discussions with a hundred or more researchers with an interest in the topic. Colloquia presentations are recorded and posted on the National Academy of Sciences Sackler colloquia website and published on CD-ROM. These Colloquia are made possible by a generous gift from Mrs. Jill Sackler, in memory of her husband, Arthur M. Sackler.

Darwin's Harvest addresses concerns that we are losing the diversity of crop plants that provide food for most of the world. With contributions from evolutionary biologists, geneticists, agronomists, molecular biologists, and anthropologists, this collection discusses how economic development, loss of heirloom varieties and wild ancestors, and modern agricultural techniques have endangered the genetic diversity needed to keep agricultural crops vital and capable of adaptation. Drawing on the most up-to-date data, the contributors review the utilization of molecular techniques to understand crop evolution. They explore current research on various crop plants of both temperate and tropical origin, including maize, sunflower, avocado, sugarcane, and wheat. The chapters in Darwin's Harvest also provide solid background for understanding many recent discoveries concerning the origins of crops and the influence of human migration and farming practices on the genetics of our modern foods.

1953 witnessed a breakthrough in biological science, the revelation of the double helical structure of DNA. Since the original revelation by James Watson and Francis Crick, knowledge of the structure and function of DNA has dramatically changed science and society. This volume explores the dramatic impact that this discovery has had on our lives. Beginning with the story of the discovery of the double helix, the collection looks at DNA fingerprinting and its impact on forensic and legal medicine; the extraction of ancient DNA from archaeological and palaeontological remains; the ethical implications arising from the genetic knowledge encoded in our DNA; the complex role of DNA in the cause, detection and treatment of cancer; the debates surrounding the potential commercialisation of genetically modified crops; the emotive field of reproductive medicine; and finally how the genetic basis of developmental language disorders is teaching us more about how humans communicate.

Provides an introduction to genetic analysis. This book covers contemporary genetics, and helps students understand the essentials of genetics, featuring various experiments, teaching them how to analyze data, and how to draw their own conclusions

The 1949 publication The Structure and Reproduction of Corn,by Theodore Kiesselbach is an indispensable source of knowledge for plant biologists throughout the world but has long been unavailable in printed form. To mark the fiftieth anniversary of the appearance of this important work, a new edition has been published on high quality paper that brings out the best in the text's finely detailed illustrations. This edition includes a historical introduction that illuminates the man behind the science, an investigator who applied the lessons of studies of hybrid vigor to create a revolution in corn breeding that transformed the economy of the American prairie states. This small, attractive book is a must for everyone interested in plant development.

Charles Fox and Jason Wolf have brought together leading researchers to produce a cutting-edge primer introducing readers to the major concepts in modern evolutionary genetics. This book spans the continuum of scale, from studies of DNA sequence evolution through proteins and development to multivariate phenotypic evolution, and the continuum of time, from ancient events that lead to current species diversity to the rapid evolution seen over relatively short time scales in experimental evolution studies. Chapters are accessible to an audience lacking extensive background in evolutionaryy genetics but also current and in-depth enough to be of value to established researchers in evolution biology.