The publication of the human genome sequence has been compared to the detonation of the first atomic bomb and the landing of the first human on the moon.
But unlike nuclear warheads and lunar landings, the human genome has a weak visual punch -- there are no images of mushroom clouds or astronauts here, only coils of DNA and pages and pages of deciphered code. Some people may be left wondering what the big deal is. Scientists tell us it will revolutionize medicine and unlock the secrets of our genetic heritage -- but what does it really mean? How does that change how we think about ourselves?
Perhaps we should ask religious leaders. After all, they spend their time thinking about what it means to be human: They might be able to articulate how this monumentous event will affect us.