The Selfish Gene turns 50: still influential, but showing its age

Richard Dawkins' The Selfish Gene, first published in 1976 with a modest print run of 5,000 copies, has marked 50 years after selling millions. Often called the most influential popular science book ever, it explained how altruism can arise from 'selfish' genes. Critics now argue it overstates genetic determinism, treats nearly every trait as an adaptation and focuses almost entirely on animals.