This time, we discuss and scrutinise Gene Machine: The Race to Decipher the Secrets of the Ribosome, by Venkatraman “Venki” Ramakrishnan. By the time Venki had earned a PhD in physics from Ohio University in the US, he had already made the unusual decision to change direction and focus full-force on uncovering the secrets of the ribosome, which eventually led to him co-winning the Nobel prize in 2009. Known as the mother of all molecules, you’ll find lots of information to help explain why the ribosome is so crucial in understanding DNA, as well as personal insights and tales of calamity on the way to the top.