Even as scientists struggle to discover the genes connected with relatively simple traits, philosophers are already arguing about the ethical justification of a transhuman future.

They discovered that genes appeared to make little or no difference, but that parenting was more important.

Last year scientists discovered the genes linked to resistance to ash dieback, which they hope will enable them to develop varieties able to survive.

In evolutionary terms, at about the time evolution was being discovered the genes for religiosity gained a reproductive advantage - and were better able to spread through the population.

Later, it was discovered that genes could be positively regulated and also regulated at steps that follow transcription initiation.