— In the modern world, biology is the most interesting of the natural sciences; perhaps the most important. New experimental methods have changed the very style of doing biology. Now we can describe the expression of all genes in individual cells and in whole organisms, model nervous systems of increasingly complex animals, reconstruct the evolutionary history of both extant and extinct species — in this book, you will find many fascinating stories. Ancient DNA transforms our understanding of history. The importance of biology was proved during the COVID pandemic: The speed with which the coronavirus was identified and vaccines were developed, was completely unimaginable until recently.

The interviewed scientists of several generations work at the frontiers of diverse fields, from the modern systems and evolutionary biology to the more traditional zoology and botany. But to me, the most interesting part is not the stories about their achievements, great as they are, but rather their vision of modern biology and, more broadly, their understanding of the world. Although the title of the book was set long before the first interview, it turned out to be a perfect match to the book’s contents.

— Russian Science Foundation not only supports leading research teams, but also strives to ensure that their achievements reach the widest possible audience. Biology— and genetics in particular — stand at the forefront of science, and in this field we certainly have much to be proud of and much to share. The true uniqueness of this project lies in its participants—the breadth of their vision and the complexity of the challenges they overcome.