
Ask HN: Is there a SICP of biology? - asdflkj
More specifically: Is there a book on biology that requires little or no prior knowledge, emphasizes principles at the expense of real-world practicality, and requires considerable intellectual effort in exchange for a genuine, satisfying foray into the field?
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mjtokelly
When I started out in a systems biology lab with a physics and CS background
but no biology, they gave me this book:

Molecular Biology of the Cell [http://www.amazon.com/Molecular-Biology-Cell-
Alberts-Al/dp/0...](http://www.amazon.com/Molecular-Biology-Cell-Alberts-
Al/dp/0815316194)

The description of the DNA --> RNA --> protein pipeline was really satisfying
to someone with my background, full of codes, error-correction algorithms, and
rate-limiting steps. I think of it as the Numerical Recipes of biology.

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jballanc
Alberts is very often held as the "standard text" (much like Grey's in
Anatomy, Atkins in Physical Chemistry, or SICP). I would also recommend
"Molecular Genetics of Bacteria" by Snyder and Champness
([http://www.amazon.com/Molecular-Genetics-Bacteria-
Snyder/dp/...](http://www.amazon.com/Molecular-Genetics-Bacteria-
Snyder/dp/1555813992/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244980889&sr=8-1)). As
you'd expect, it's very focused on Bacteria, but it's current and goes all the
way from the basic to the very in-depth.

Edit: Oh! And how could I forget Lodish ([http://www.amazon.com/Molecular-
Cell-Biology-Harvey-Lodish/d...](http://www.amazon.com/Molecular-Cell-Biology-
Harvey-Lodish/dp/0716776014/ref=pd_sim_b_4))? Also very good...

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Agathos
Heh. "standard text"

So anyway, the journal asks why I'm citing Alberts so much and I write back,
"Alberts is the standard text, editor."

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vinutheraj
Can there be a SICP of biology, considering the vastness of the field !!

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gahahaha
well - Computer science is pretty damn vast too...

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Scriptor
But as vast as life itself?

It's pretty much required, as far as I know, for the SICP professor to
thoroughly know the whole book, yet it is nearly impossible for any professor
to do the same with Campbell and Reece, one of the more common intro to bio
books.

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caffeine
Same question: SICP of neuroscience?

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jonsen
If not yet exists, it could be due anytime now, considering the explosive
advancement of the field.

I found On Intelligence by Jeff Hawkins very enlightening.

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michaelkeenan
The ideas in On Intelligence are very interesting, but the writing style is
sometimes repetitive and slightly condescending (I'll explain in more detail
if requested). It seems to be aimed at smart teenagers, to inspire them to
pursue work in neuroscience and AI.

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Dilpil
I would recommend 'Life: the Science of Biology' by Sadava Heller Orians
Purves and Hillis. Absolutely massive book, starts with basic chemistry, goes
on to biochemistry, then cell biology, and gradually works its way up in scale
through ecology. <http://bcs.whfreeman.com/thelifewire8e/default.asp> has
notes from all the chapters, interactive diagrams, and some interactive
quizzes.

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Agathos
This may not be a helpful answer, but the most SICP-like experience in my
biology education was probably a paper-reading class.

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plaes
I would take one for Physics too (specially optics) as I have exam coming up
on Friday... :P

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jackdawjack
for general physics i'd suggest the feynman lectures:

[http://www.amazon.com/Feynman-Lectures-Physics-
Set/dp/020102...](http://www.amazon.com/Feynman-Lectures-Physics-
Set/dp/0201021153/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244993263&sr=8-3)

he pretty much covers every topic in that wonderful feynman way. For optics
i'd also suggest hecht's book.

Also for a more theoretical coverage of physics, reading the first few books
from the landau lifschitz series is highly recommended.

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kunqiana
what about electronics?

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menloparkbum
horowitz and hill?

