The debate about the relevance of human genetics knowledge to everyday life has been marked by fluctuations of interest and enthusiasm. The negative impact of eugenics on the public consciousness suppressed dialogue between geneticists and the public for most of the second half of the 20th century (Ridley, 1999). For the most part, nongeneticists did not follow the development of the science of genetics closely, even with regard to the discovery of the genetic code, during this period. Research on genetics was often not considered relevant for public health because genetic disorders were thought to be rare (Thomas, 2004). All of this changed, however, with the sequencing of the full genome by the Human Genome Project in 2003 (Human Genome Program, 2008). The Human Genome Project triggered discussion in numerous spheres, including medicine (e.g., Weinshilboum, 2002), law (e.g., Torrance, 2010), and biotechnology (e.g., Herring, 2007). However, relatively little of this discussion has penetrated the field of developmental science, with some notable exceptions (e.g., Plomin, DeFries, Craig, & McGuffin, 2003; Plomin & Rutter, 1998), including Plomin's contribution to this Special Section. Developmental science is just beginning to address the implications of the genomic revolution. This Special Section of "Child Development" was designed to stimulate this discussion.