Genetic modification of food and animals is one of the issues raised in Marge Piercy's novel about an inmate in a mental institution who travels forward in time to a Utopian society where everyone works, everyone eats, and men and women are so equal that men even get to nurse babies.

Want to learn what biomining is? Ever heard of Herman the Bull? Head over to this educational site run by the National Health Museum (and originally created by biotech giant Genentech), and find out different ways that companies are applying genetic technology to everything from livestock to orchids. Along with information on careers in biotech, you can find articles on bioethics and a good section on the history of biotechnology from 6000 BC to today.

Use this searchable site to learn about different species, from archaea to mammals, and discover how they fit into the evolutionary tree of life.

If you wanted to take genetics in college but never got around to it, this computer program lets you do a month of experiments in a few minutes — without having to sort through piles of little knocked-out flies. Lots of fun, and very informative.