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Dennis Bray

Wetware: A Computer in Every Living Cell Kindle Edition

by Dennis Bray (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

89 ratings

3.9 on Goodreads

255 ratings

#2 Most Gifted in Biochemistry in Bioengineering

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"A beautifully written journey into the mechanics of the world of the cell, and even beyond, exploring the analogy with computers in a surprising way" (Denis Noble, author of Dance to the Tune of Life).

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How does a single-cell creature, such as an amoeba, lead such a sophisticated life? How does it hunt living prey, respond to lights, sounds, and smells, and display complex sequences of movements without the benefit of a nervous system? This book offers a startling and original answer.

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In clear, jargon-free language, Dennis Bray taps the findings from the discipline of systems biology to show that the internal chemistry of living cells is a form of computation. Cells are built out of molecular circuits that perform logical operations, as electronic devices do, but with unique properties. Bray argues that the computational juice of cells provides the basis for all distinctive properties of living systems: it allows organisms to embody in their internal structure an image of the world, and this accounts for their adaptability, responsiveness, and intelligence.

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In Wetware, Bray offers imaginative, wide-ranging, and perceptive critiques of robotics and complexity theory, as well as many entertaining and telling anecdotes. For the general reader, the practicing scientist, and all others with an interest in the nature of life, this book is an exciting portal to some of biology's latest discoveries and ideas.

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"Drawing on the similarities between Pac-Man and an amoeba and efforts to model the human brain, this absorbing read shows that biologists and engineers have a lot to learn from working together." —Discover magazine

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"Wetware will get the reader thinking." —Science magazine

ISBN-13

978-0300155440
Publisher

Yale University Press
Accessibility

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Publication date

June 18 2019
Language

English
File size

6.6 MB

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Review

"Whilst Bray doesn''t shy away from using unfamiliar terms they are always explained in context. For a book delving into systems biology and comparing specific examples of biological processes to computational systems that''s quite a welcome surprise. . . . [The] style is elegant and very readable."--Celia Gitterman, "Chemistry World"--Celia Gitterman"Chemistry World" (12/01/2009)

About the Author

Dennis Bray is professor emeritus, University of Cambridge, and coauthor of several influential texts on molecular and cell biology. In 2007, he was awarded the prestigious European Science Prize in Computational Biology.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B003BVJ8WQ
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Yale University Press
Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 18 2019
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 6.6 MB
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 281 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0300155440
Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
�鶹�� Rank: #77,164 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #4 in Molecular Biology eBooks
- #4 in Molecular Biology (Kindle Store)
- #7 in Cell Biology (Kindle Store)
Customer Reviews:
89 ratings

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Eric Lawton
Good introduction to cell signal processing
Reviewed in Canada on August 15, 2009
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I bought this book because it was near the top of a UK list of best science books. It was worth it. It assumes little scientific knowledge and explains by means of analogies. I found this a little too much as I already have a basic knowledge of cell chemistry and a deeper knowledge of computing but the general reader will probably find it useful. The subtitle is catchy but an oversimplification, as the author himself points out. The book shows how complex chains of interactions between molecules allow them to sense their surroundings, transform the information and act on what they "know". This is how a single cell can exhibit complex behaviour without having a brain. The molecules play the role of eye, brain and muscle. Professor Bray connects all this up with evolution, cell communications and other topics in biology and will equip a lay reader with enough knowledge to read further in the subject and with enough enthusiasm to want to do that reading, as well as a deeper appreciation for the wonders within us all.

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Top reviews from other countries

John B
Changes how you think of cells
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 25, 2021
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Well written and clearly sets out the concept of the behaviour of living cells being a result of complex switching systems made up of different proteins both inside and on the surface of cells. He draws the very persuasive analogy of this switching being akin to computers. Very readable.

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LSchiller
interesting
Reviewed in Germany on January 17, 2015
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I read it as introduction for bioinformatics studies. It is interesting and maybe philosophical. A view at life from a perspective between life sciences and computer science.

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A. Menon
Fascinating exploration of the complexities of a cell
Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2010
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This book is full of fascinating information. Wetware is a book about the cell, it discusses the mechanics of signal transmission, the relationships between the various parts of the cell and the emergent phenomenon that result from a cell's architecture on a case by case basis from protazoa and amoeba to our nerve cells. The commentary describes both the complexity of the cell in terms of its adaptability to a diverse ecosystem as well as the plausible origins of how such complexity evolved. The book argues a strong evolutionary case about life and its origins.

Most of the book is very readable and gives the non-expert an insight into how through diffusion cells react and signals are processed. Cases are studied and the strategies of such single celled organisms such as the ameoba are discussed in strong detail. Examples of environmental sensitivity are discussed and "intelligence" to the extent that even single cells have architecture that allow them to dynamically adapt are explored. The exploration of the single cell is the most interesting, likely because it can be studied in isolation and thus its easier to discuss a single cells properties than a multi-celled organism. The book goes through a lot of interesting material, it discusses RNA, protein structures and dynamics and neural networks. The Neural networks portion is a good overview of how they work and how they can be used in a machine setting to obtain interesting results. As the book gets into the multicelled aspect, the quality doesnt go down so much as the material can be slightly overwhelming. Despite that, the themes of the book can still be gleaned despite some of the specifics being a bit hard to follow.

One reads this book and really mavels at the complexity of the single cell. The author gives a good example at the end - the fruitfly is able to, with negligble energy, navigate efficiently, the computing power required for humans to replicate that is of a very different order of magnitute. The cell is of microscopic size but astronomical complexity and that is where one must stop in awe and appreciate the amazing depth of life. This book takes the reader on that journey. The author tries to only take what can be observed and doesnt try to fill the gaps with intelligent design. He shows how genetic programming results show that solutions to complicated problems show up unexpectedly in evolutionary settings and that is no evidence of design. I found this book to really revitalize the idea that life is truly astonishing. It is not only astonishing from the perspective of muticelled organisms and our own self awareness, but more foundationally, from the single cell and up. I highly recommend this, it should be read by all.

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Radu - Eosif Mihailescu
Very (scientifically) entertaining read!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 25, 2015
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Loved the book, it's rare to find a work that explains deeply scientific stuff so clearly and using such a plain language. The parallel to current day computers is amazing and the questions posed would keep boredom away from even a knowledgeable cytologist.

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Elizabeth A. Gibson
Excellent book on the inner workings of living cells
Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2010
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This is a beautiful book, and Bray is an uncommonly good writer. He explains the inner workings of a cell, and the relationships between cells and their environments, with clarity and elegance, no mean feat given their complexity. He also does a nice job of comparing how cells work with how a computer works, and is also clear that while there are definite parallels, living cells outstrip human-made computers in complexity, flexibility and adaptability, and even, in some ways, in computing, though not mathematical, power.

Another thing I liked about this book is Bray's curiosity. He takes Barbara McClintock's 1983 suggestion "To determine the extent of knowledge the cell has of itself" as a point of departure in explaining how the cell works and as a goal and goad for future scientists. How does a cell know what to do, which decision to make at any given time? As Bray shows, each cell has a lot of possible choices; there's a lot going on in the primordial soup of a cell's world. And as we come to understand how to answer those questions and others like them, what implications do the answers have, if any, on human psychology and the way we consciously and unconsciously make decisions? Bray is clear that he doesn't know, but also clear and prescient in asking the questions and encouraging others to ask. We know a great deal about cell biology but there is still much, much more to learn.

Near the end of the book, Bray quotes French writer Andre Gide: "One doesn't discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time." So true and so inspiring!

I very highly recommend this book: 5 stars.

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