Review: How to Grow a Human by Philip Ball

There’s something eerie about the scientific achievements of the last few decades; these phenomenal advancements in medical science and research can put one in mind of horror tales of yore such as Frankenstein, or more recent fantasies such as The Matrix. Yeah – scary stuff. But it doesn’t have to be. Philip Ball takes us behind the sensationalist headlines of popular media – test tube babies, artificial humans, synthetic organs, and genetic modification and experimentation – and presents the facts behind the hype. Ball takes us on a journey of scientific revolution, from our humble beginnings dabbling with genes and proteins, to attempts at cloning, growing organs and babies in vitro (outside of the body), IVF, and the modification of genetic information to prevent disease. Science has come a long way, but there is still so much to explore.

My chief impression of How to Grow a Human is more than just an impressive collection of facts and feats – it’s a scientist’s attempt to allay fears of experimentation, and put science into the context of our modern lives. Ball takes care in explaining the progress, concepts, legalities, and ethics surrounding our various forays into the world of biology, clarifying that just because something can be done, doesn’t mean it will be done. Simultaneously, he emphasizes that there is no need to fear these biological achievements – we are in the infant stages of something amazing, and still have so much to learn before we can implement what we know.  

How to Grow a Human, as the title suggests, takes us through the processes of how humans are made – the amazing ways that cells divide, develop, and mature, resulting in a human being. Thereafter, things become fantastic and odd; Ball describes how it is possible to recreate this process, or the various aspects involved, outside of the body, sometimes even without the necessary components. As the saying goes; if science is limited only by the imagination, anything is possible.

There seems to be a fine line between the technicality of a subject, and the readability of a text (the more technical, the more boring or difficult to read), but Philip Ball has this immense talent to make facts (of which there are hundreds) read like fiction. How to Grow a Human is akin to reading an entire biology textbook, only it’s far more interesting, and actually enjoyable. Oh, had I had this book before writing my Microbiology and Biomedical Sciences exams, I would have found studying so much easier, and so much more pleasant. I loved this book, and I learned a great deal. In addition, I have a new-kindled interest in ‘artificial’ body parts and cloning, which will make for some interesting Google searches. If it is true that a book that gets you to think about, discuss, or research new information is worth its weight in gold, then this book is priceless.

How to Grow a Human by Philip Ball is published by William Collins, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, and is available in South Africa from Jonathan Ball Publishers.