Looking back on the last few years, it is difficult to imagine life without biotechnology. Biotechnology is everywhere you look, from food in the grocery store, to routine medical treatments in the hospital. February 12, 2001 became an important date in human history. Beginning on that date, anyone with access to the Internet could look at a new atlas that contains the entire human genome. Biotechnology is transforming everything we know, believe, expect, and practice in modern society.

Did you know that IBM's largest current project, called Blue Gene, is devoted to genome sequencing and involves a machine that can perform 1 quadrillion calculations per second? Or that Sun Microsystems' largest project is deciphering a protein? Or that Monsanto and Pioneer/DuPont sell almost 80 percent of the world's seed corn? Or that 100 whole animals have already been patented? Biotechnology is expanding well beyond the walls of the laboratory. Its influence has reached the stock market and provided jobs for millions worldwide.

Researchers at a Worcester, Massachusetts, biotechnology company, Advanced Cell Technology, succeeded in creating the world's first cloned human embryos. This and other controversial applications of biotechnology have created many questions and few answers. Geneticists, ethicists, and theologians working together need to reach a balanced view on many highly controversial topics ranging from embryonic stem cell research to ownership of genes.

Biotechnology is part of human life, from big cities to small farm communities. This is especially evident in the agricultural industry. The global area of transgenic crops planted in 2001 was 130 million acres, representing 5.5 million farmers worldwide. This is part of a growing trend that has seen the area planted with transgenic crops increase 19 percent from 2000 to 2001. This indicates a clear need for all to become informed about this growing area of science.

Understanding Biotechnology addresses the background and applications of biotechnology in the many aspects of today's society. We include essential details important for a scientific book, while maintaining an understandable level for most readers. As with highly polarized topics such as biotechnology, balanced arguments are difficult to find and evaluate. Understanding Biotechnology offers readers an opportunity to understand this revolutionary science and the issues surrounding its role in today's society, allowing you to develop informed opinions about biotechnology.