Product Description

Identical twins share the same genes and are often startlingly alike. Why, then, should they often meet such different fates one twin developing a serious disease like cancer while the other remains unscathed? In a compelling scientific detective story, The Ghost in Your Genes explores the provocative idea that there may be more to inheritance than genes alone. New clues reveal that a second epigenetic chemical code sits on top of our regular DNA and controls how our genes are expressed, turning them on or off with dramatic consequences for our health.

This revolutionary finding has vital implications not only for treating disease but for how we take care of ourselves. While we inherit the epigenome much as we do DNA, it appears to respond far more to our environment and lifestyles. So our stress levels and what we eat, drink, and breathe may leave an enduring imprint, not just on our own bodies but on the generations to come. In a tour-de-force of scientific sleuthing, NOVA reveals the discoveries that have overturned the old story of inheritance and have profound relevance for how we choose to lead our lives.