Matt Crawford speaks with author Dr. Tim Harris about his book, In Pursuit of Unicorns: A Journey Through 50 Years of Biotechnology. Modern biotechnology―genetic engineering and cell manipulation―originated with the 1973 demonstration that genes from different organisms could be recombined and propagated in Escherichia coli. More than 50 years on, biotech is now a science that defines the 21st century. While still a young scientist, Tim Harris committed himself to this emerging industry. Now an accomplished investigator who became an astute, seasoned, and successful biotech business executive, he has written a captivating memoir chronicling the birth and maturation of the industry that now touches everyone’s lives. He combines accounts of scientific successes and failures with a personal story of ambition, challenge, and discovery. An accessible foray into the scientific community, this is one that is sure to whet the readers appetite for further study. Especially those that may find the subject daunting.