19世纪末，当达尔文发表他的进化论学说时掀起了一场革命性的轩然大波。从那以后，达尔文的理论成为了被广泛接受的科学玉律。但是现在，科学家泰德·斯第儿的观点吹皱了一池春水。
很多年以来，泰德和来自全世界的合作者一直在探寻挑战生物学基本原则—— 魏思曼屏障[魏思曼的种质论认为：多细胞生物体可以截然地区分为种质和体质两部分。种质是亲代传递给后代的遗传物质，它存留于生殖细胞的染色体上。种质是 连续的，即种质产生种质，它们世代相传、连续不断，在本质上是不死的。体质则不然，体质也是由种质产生，但它只是生物的躯体，随着机体的死亡而死亡，体质 在每一世代需重新产生。体质通过生长和发育形成新个体的各种组织和器官，但它不能产生种质，它只是对种质起一个保护、营养和提供“栖息地”的作用。种质因 受到良好保护很难受到环境影响而改变，种质与环境影响的隔离后来被称为“魏思曼屏障”。译者注]——的主张，使在科学历史上最被压制的理论重新抬头。他们 的理论建立在拉马克·J·B发表的早于达尔文的《物种起源》50年的著作上。拉马克认为人的一生中获得的特性是可以遗传给下一代的。泰德接受了他的理论， 相信我们可以继续进行基因的改良，例如使我们的孩子获得更强的免疫。
在杰出的科学哲学家卡尔·波派的鼓励下，1979年，泰德的第一本著作横空出世。它给传统的进化论思想带来了冲击，从那以后，他和合作者们与科学教条，他们自己的大学和媒体斗争，以让人们接受他们的研究。
泰德是不是付出了一生，却是追寻一个错误的梦想？ 或是他打算改变我们所知的地球生命？这风险很高——他们的名誉、事业，还有我们对进化论的理解，都岌岌可危。
原文：Charles Darwin started a revolution when he published his evolutionary theory in the late 1800s. Since then, Darwinian theory has become the accepted scientific doctrine, but now scientist Ted Steele is stirring things up again.
For years, Ted and his collaborators around the world have been researching ideas that challenge a fundamental principle of biology - the Weismann Barrier - and have given new life to one of the most discredited theories in the history of science. Their proposition is based on the work of Jean Baptiste de Lamarck, published some 50 years before Darwin's The Origin of Species. Lamarck's concept is that characteristics acquired during a lifetime could be passed on to the next generation. Ted is convinced that we can pass on these genetic improvements, such as stronger immunity, to our children.
Encouraged by the great science philosopher Karl Popper, Ted launched his first book in 1979. It shook the foundations of evolutionary thinking. Since then, he and his collaborators have battled with the scientific establishment, their own universities and the media to have their research accepted.
Has Ted devoted a lifetime to pursuing a false dream or is he about to change what we know about life on earth? The stakes are high - reputations, careers and our understanding of evolution are all on the line.
