Raised on a farm and planted as a technology reporter at National Public Radio and New Scientist, Dan Charles has covered everything from the misadventures of the Mir Space Station to earthquakes in India, and nuclear smuggling in Germany. He says he wrote this biotechnology book because he discovered "amazing tales of invention, cutthroat business dealings, blood feuds between arrogant companies, and public interest groups that were willing to twist the truth as much as any corporate public relations official.