In this fascinating book, Hubbell journeys into the remarkable lives of the little-known creatures that really run the world--the animals without backbones, including one of the most elusive and enigmatic of all, "Aphrodite" the sea mouse.

In this timely and controversial work, Sue Hubbell contends that the concept of genetic engineering is anything but new, for humans have been tinkering with genetics for centuries. Focusing on four specific examples -- corn, silkworms, domestic cats, and apples -- she traces the histories of species that have been fundamentally altered over the centuries by the whims and needs of people.