Information Theory, Evolution, and the Origin of Life

An introduction to the use of information theory and coding theory in molecular biology. The author discusses how these tools can be used to analyse the sequences of the genome and the proteome, and thereby aid our understanding of the nature and origin of life.

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Originally published in 2005, Information Theory, Evolution and the Origin of Life presents an introduction to the use of information theory and coding theory in molecular biology. The genetical information system, because it is linear and digital, resembles the algorithmic language of computers. George Gamow pointed out that the application of Shannon's information theory breaks genetics and molecular biology out of the descriptive mode into the quantitative mode and Dr Yockey develops this theme, discussing how information theory and coding theory can be applied to molecular biology. He discusses how these tools for measuring the information in the sequences of the genome and the proteome are essential for our complete understanding of the nature and origin of life. The author writes for the computer competent reader who is interested in evolution and the origins of life.