This latest offering in Salem’s Principles of Science series offers basic insight into the complex interplay between genetics and heredity. How are certain traits and diseases passed from parents to offspring? What causes genetic mutations? Are inherited characteristics a matter of natural selection, adaptation, or random chance? What is genetic drift? How can we harness our knowledge of heredity and genetics for the benefit of humankind?

Exploring these and other issues, this volume will give readers a solid understanding of current knowledge about genes and how they are passed from one generation to the next. Principles of Heredity & Genetics will also examine the moral dilemmas raised by genetic testing and engineering, the part played by environmental factors and chemical exposure in genetic expression, and the increasing role of artificial intelligence in advancing the study of this and related disciplines. The entries in this work will provide an entry point into this complex and dynamic field.

Featuring approximately 125 individual essays as well as a glossary, bibliography, and an index, Principles of Heredity & Genetics will be an invaluable resource for students at the high school and undergraduate levels, particularly those considering further education or careers in research science, genetic counseling, biotechnology, and forensic science.