Bloomsbury pre-empts Adrian Woolfson’s The Future of Species

Bloomsbury has pre-empted geneticist Adrian Woolfson’s The Future of Species.

Editorial director Ariel Pakier acquired world all-language rights from Michael Alcock at Johnson & Alcock, and the book will be published in spring 2025.

"The Future of Species is a groundbreaking exploration of the emerging field of genome synthesis and its profound implications for healthcare, the environment and the global economy," the synopsis says. "In this captivating book, Adrian Woolfson delves into the transformative world of genome writing, revealing how this revolutionary technology has the potential to reshape our future and that of human nature itself. He also discusses the risks that will invariably accompany such radical innovations and the need for a global debate and appropriate regulation."

Pakier said: "We are so excited to be publishing The Future of Species. Synthetic genomics has the power to radically change our world and Adrian Woolfson is the preeminent expert to guide us through this fascinating and complex subject. Woolfson describes the positive advances in healthcare and the preservation of the environment that will come from gene rewriting, but also acknowledges the huge potential for risk without global discussion."

Woolfson added: "I am delighted to be working with Bloomsbury on my new book, which explores the new age of genome writing. The emerging science of synthetic genomics, and the ability to design the genomes of living things from first scratch without referencing Darwinian evolution, will impact almost every area of our existence and change the future of humankind in ways hardly imaginable."