Evolution / Evolutionary biology Books
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust The Hidden History of the Human Race
Book SynopsisResearchers have discovered evidence of ancient humans dating back millions of years, challenging current scientific theories. Cremo and Thompson present suppressed facts that prompt readers to reconsider human origins and history, unveiling a hidden past through 69 illustrations.
£16.85
Oneworld Publications Some Assembly Required: Decoding Four Billion
Book Synopsis‘Intimate and thoughtful… Exciting… [A] sweeping evolutionary history.’ Science The author of the bestselling Your Inner Fish gives us a brilliant, up-to-date account of the great transformations in the history of life on Earth. This is a story full of surprises. If you think that feathers arose to help animals fly, or lungs to help them walk on land, you’d be in good company. You’d also be entirely wrong. Neil Shubin delves deep into the mystery of life, the ongoing revolutions in our understanding of how we got here, and brings us closer to answering one of the great questions – was life on earth inevitable…or was it all an accident?Trade Review‘Neil Shubin’s book is one that completely changed my understanding of evolution… The things I learned from this book stayed with me – I’m still dropping facts into conversation.’ * BBC Science Focus, BOOK OF THE YEAR *‘Neil Shubin shows himself to be a natural storyteller and a gifted scientific communicator.’ * Wall Street Journal *‘A rollicking ride…light of touch, anecdote-rich and funny, and yet…still feels satisfyingly informative... What’s not to love?’ -- Dr Tori Herridge, BBC Wildlife'Neil Shubin provides an up-to-date and utterly engrossing account of the latest thinking on the great transformations in evolution… Frequently funny and always eloquent, Shubin’s power as a science communicator is to make you fall in love with evolutionary biology all over again.’ -- Leon Vlieger * The Inquisitive Biologist *'Neil Shubin is one of the most accomplished writers on evolution and the history of life, and this book is a worthy successor to its predecessors.' -- Richard Fortey, author of Life, The Earth and Fossils'Another winner from Dr. Shubin, who skillfully and thoughtfully steers us through the incredibly fascinating world of DNA and fossils. Dr. Shubin’s clear and engaging writing rewards us with a deeper understanding of how all life on our planet is interconnected. Steeped in the paradigm of evolutionary theory, he inspires us to think more deeply about our connectedness with the natural world. Charles Darwin would applaud Dr. Shubin’s clear explanations and insightful rendering of the incontrovertible evidence for the evolution of all life on planet Earth.' -- Donald Johanson, paleoanthropologist and discoverer of LUCY‘A welcome new exploration of the evolution of human and animal life on Earth… Shubin explores it with his characteristic enthusiasm and clarity… A fascinating wild ride through the mechanics of evolution.’ -- Kirkus (starred review)'Neil Shubin has been one of my favourite science communicators ever since I took his undergraduate anatomy course. In this ambitious and readable book, Shubin blends his own research, epic tales from the history of science, and the latest discoveries in palaeontology and genetics to tackle some of the biggest mysteries of evolution. This is an engrossing account from a scientific storyteller at the height of his talents.' -- Steve Brusatte, University of Edinburgh palaeontologist and author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs‘Shubin’s … exhilarating excursion into the ways of evolution… Shubin isn’t the most prolific popular-science writer, but he is one of the best.’ -- Booklist (starred review)‘Enjoyable… Eloquent… This superb primer brings the intellectual excitement of the scientific endeavor to life in a way that both educates and entertains.’ * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *'Through tales of remarkable creatures, and some even more remarkable people who study them, Neil Shubin unravels the mystery at the heart of evolution — how nature invents. From bacteria to brains, fish lungs to ballistic salamander tongues, Shubin decodes the surprising origins of the marvelous gadgets that have driven the riot of life’s diversity.' -- Sean B. Carroll, author of The Serengeti Rules and Brave Genius
£10.79
Quercus Publishing The Incredible Unlikeliness of Being: Evolution
Book Synopsis'From your brain to your fingertips, you emerge from her book entertained and with a deeper understanding of yourself' Richard Dawkins'A masterful account of why our bodies are the way they are . . . this book really shines . . . Roberts's lightness of touch is joyous, and celebratory' Observer'Witty, personal and above all informed by passion and deep knowledge, this is the story of you, not just from conception onwards but from the millions of years of evolution that have shaped the way we are today' Adam Rutherford***SHORTLISTED FOR THE WELLCOME BOOK PRIZE***Alice Roberts takes you on the most incredible journey, revealing your path from a single cell to a complex embryo to a living, breathing, thinking person. It's a story that connects us with our distant ancestors and an extraordinary, unlikely chain of events that shaped human development and left a mark on all of us. Alice Roberts uses the latest research to uncover the evolutionary history hidden in all of us, from the secrets found only in our embryos and genes - including why as embroyos we have what look like gills - to those visible in your anatomy. This is a tale of discovery, exploring why and how we have developed as we have. This is your story, told as never before. Trade ReviewAlice Roberts tells us about the most amazing story on the planet - the creation of the human animal. Nothing is more extraordinary and her guided tour of the human body takes us on a fascinating journey of self-discovery -- Desmond MorrisA masterful account of why our bodies are the way they are ... Roberts skilfully and knowledgeably weaves embryology, genetics, anatomy, evolution and zoology to tell the incredible story of the human body ... It is in comparative anatomy that this book really shines ... Roberts's anatomical expertise is seductive ... Roberts's lightness of touch is joyous, and celebratory -- Adam Rutherford * Observer *Roberts's engagingly personal style connects you to your ancestors, to your own personal beginnings as a single cell and, in a most attractive way, to herself as an author of great charm. From your brain to your fingertips, you emerge from her book entertained and with a deeper understanding of yourself -- Richard DawkinsA brilliant account of how a single cell transforms itself into a living, breathing, thinking person. The book exudes physicality, it is like having an intellectual massage of every muscle in your body - afterwards you are keenly aware of your body and feel like a different person -- Mark Miodownik * author of The Genius of Invention *The biggest gap in biology is that between DNA . . . and living creatures . . . Alice Roberts has set out to find it. With wit and enthusiasm, she succeeds -- Steve Jones * Geneticist and author of The Single Helix *'Witty, personal and above all informed by passion and deep knowledge' Adam Rutherford. * Adam Rutherford *'Her guided tour of the human body takes us on a fascinating journey of self-discovery' Desmond Morris. * Desmond Morris *'Alice Roberts's engagingly personal style connects you to your ancestors, to your own beginnings as a single cell ... You emerge from her book entertained and with a deeper understanding of yourself' Richard Dawkins. * Richard Dawkins *
£11.69
Harriman House Publishing Evolutionary Ideas
Book SynopsisIn Evolutionary Ideas, Sam Tatam shows how behavioural science and evolutionary psychology can help us solve tomorrow's challenges, not by divining something the world has never seen, but by borrowing from yesterday's solutions often in the most unexpected ways.
£13.49
Penguin Books Ltd The Descent of Man Selection in Relation to Sex
Book SynopsisApplying his controversial theory of evolution to the origins of the human species, Charles Darwin's The Descent of Man was the culmination of his life's work. In The Origin of Species, Charles Darwin refused to discuss human evolution, believing the subject too 'surrounded with prejudices'. He had been reworking his notes since the 1830s, but only with trepidation did he finally publish The Descent of Man in 1871. The book notoriously put apes in our family tree and made the races one family, diversified by 'sexual selection' - Darwin's provocative theory that female choice among competing males leads to diverging racial characteristics. Named by Sigmund Freud as 'one of the ten most significant books' ever written, Darwin's Descent of Man continues to shape the way we think about what it is that makes us uniquely human. In their introduction, James Moore and Adrian Desmond, acclaimed biographers of Charles Darwin, call for a radicalTrade Review“[Darwin’s] second great book . . . An intellectually daring feat.” —Richard O. Prum, in The Evolution of Beauty
£12.34
HarperCollins Publishers Inferior The true power of women and the science
Book SynopsisInferior is more than just a book. It's a battle cry and right now, it's having a galvanising effect on its core fanbase' ObserverAre women more nurturing than men?Are men more promiscuous than women?Are males the naturally dominant sex?And can science give us an impartial answer to these questions?Taking us on an eye-opening journey through science, Inferior challenges our preconceptions about men and women, investigating the ferocious gender wars that burn in biology, psychology and anthropology. Angela Saini revisits the landmark experiments that have informed our understanding, lays bare the problem of bias in research, and speaks to the scientists finally exploring the truth about the female sex.The result is an enlightening and deeply empowering account of women's minds, bodies and evolutionary history. Interrogating what these revelations mean for us as individuals and as a society, Inferior unveils a fresh view of science in which women are included, rather than excluded.Trade Review‘Angela Saini has written a powerful, compelling and much needed account that challenges deeply rooted preconceptions about sex differences’ Adam Rutherford, author of Creation 'An immensely readable and compelling book, providing up to date and evidence-based ammunition for readers who want to rebuff tired myths stereotyping men and women's brains and bodies' Professor Athene Donald 'This is an important book, beautifully written, and with compelling narratives and hard evidence researched through the lenses of anthropology, evolutionary history, psychology, and neuroscience' Aarathi Prasad, author of Like a Virgin ‘An enlightening account that shatters gender stereotypes… Armed with a heavy arsenal of data, Saini provides a gripping and much-needed account of how even the most impartial fields of scientific study have for centuries fallen prey to the biases of the patriarchal foundations they have been built upon…Saini’s work also presents the rest of the scientific community with an important challenge: to acknowledge and correct a deep-rooted bias – and to help rewrite the role of women in the story of human evolution’ Independent ‘Illuminating’ Economist ‘Saini is a meticulous researcher whose attention to detail is evident in her interviews with scientists behind some of the biggest results in neuroscience and psychology … It is my hope that this important book encourages scientists and educationists of the need for more evidence-based approaches to ensure equality and diversity in science’ Physics World
£10.44
Oxford University Press Animal Behavior and Parasitism
Book SynopsisWe live in a world teeming with parasites. Many animal behaviors, including social interactions, mating displays, and decisions about where to move, nest, and forage are shaped by interactions with parasites. The same is true for humans, where our attraction to mates, hygienic behaviors, food choices, and decisions about when and where to gather in groups often depend on current and perceived infection risk. In turn, behaviors like social distancing and self-medication can alter the trajectories of parasite transmission and evolution, as vividly illustrated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The myriad connections between animal behavior and parasitism have been the subject of growing research interest since the 1970s and 80s, when fundamental theories linking the two fields of study emerged. Since then, a combination of conceptual and technological advances, and increased integration of ideas across disciplines, have helped to uncover fascinating new connections between animal behaviorTrade ReviewGiven the myriad effects parasites exert on various facets of host biology and behavior, this scholarly, well-researched text will appeal to a broad range of biologists with widely varying interests. * Choice *
£119.54
Oxford University Press Genetics
Book SynopsisGenetics: Genes, Genomes, and Evolution presents fundamental principles of genetics and molecular biology from an evolutionary perspective, as informed by genome analysis. Using what has been learned from analyses of bacterial and eukaryotic genomes as its basis, the book unites evolution, genomics, and genetics in one narrative approach.Trade ReviewThis is the book youve been looking for! A refreshing, new take on your classic genetics textbook. Its integrated approach successfully weaves basic and advanced topics, and leads students through the latest advances in the field. * André Antunes, Edge Hill University *A very well written book, which is easy to read and which includes many interesting examples, figures and videos. It ties different fields of genetics and molecular biology into a coherent entity using an evolutionary perspective. * Anneli Hoikkala, University of Jyvaskylä *An authoritative introductory genetics text which embeds all key concepts within their logical evolutionary framework. * Mike Jackson, Newcastle University *There are many textbooks on genetics that take a purely molecular biology approach. It is good to have an evolutionary perspective on genetic knowledge. * Jan Hoole, Keele University *I think that this book could be superior (to other textbooks) in linking the theory with the current knowledge of the genomic architectures of bacteria and eukaryotes and the state-of-the-art analytical approaches and technologies to address evolutionary questions. * Paolo Franchini, University of Konstanz *Genetics text books can be rather dry. This one shows the relevance of genetics, molecular biology and evolution to modern life and also the impact of previous events (wonderfully explained) on humans today. * Judith Lock, University of Southampton *A great textbook, easy to read (almost conversational writing style), excellent combination of text and colour figures. I would definitely recommend it. It is fresh and up to date, and the big advantage of this book is that it combines various disciplines at the undergraduate level, making for a strong cohesion in teaching. * Casper J. Breuker, Oxford Brookes University *Meneely et al. use considerably teaching skills to capture the attnetion of students with a modest background in chemistry and biology. I particularly admire their attention to the three themes of their textbook. New topics incorporate what was learned in earlier chapters and students benefit in the review it provides and the integration of new knowledge it promotes. This is a volume that I hope will go through many editions. * Elof Axel Carlson in The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 93 *Table of Contents1: Darwin's Finches: Evolution, Genomes, and Genes 2: The Central Dogma of Molecular Biology 3: Genome Structure, Organization, and Variation 4: Descent with Modification: DNA Replication and Mutation 5: The Inheritance of Single Gene Traits 6: The Cellular Basis for Mendelian Genetics 7: X-linked Genes and Sex Chromosomes 8: The Inheritance of Multiple Genes 9: The Locations of Genes on Chromosomes: Linkage and Genetic Maps 10: Human Genetic Mapping, Genome Wide Association Studies, and Complex Traits 11: Exchange and Evolution 12: Transcription: Reading and Expressing Genes 13: Translation: From Nucleic Acids to Amino Acids 14: Networks of Gene Regulation 15: Genetic Analysis of Cellular Processes 16: The Genetics of Populations 17: Metagenomes: Genome Analysis of Communities
£66.49
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group Evolution of Beauty
Book Synopsis
£15.75
Pan Macmillan Life's Edge: The Search for What It Means to Be
Book Synopsis‘This book is not just about life, but about discovery itself. It is about error and hubris, but also about wonder and the reach of science. And it is bookended with the ultimate question: How do we define the thing that defines us?’ – Siddhartha Mukherjee, author of The Gene We all assume we know what life is, but the more scientists learn about the living world – from protocells to brains, from zygotes to pandemic viruses – the harder they find it to locate the edges of life, where it begins and ends. What exactly does it mean to be alive? Is a virus alive? Is a foetus? Carl Zimmer investigates one of the biggest questions of all: What is life? The answer seems obvious until you try to seriously answer it. Is the apple sitting on your kitchen counter alive, or is only the apple tree it came from deserving of the word? If we can’t answer that question here on earth, how will we know when and if we discover alien life on other worlds? The question hangs over some of society’s most charged conflicts – whether a fertilized egg is a living person, for example, and when we ought to declare a person legally dead. Life’s Edge is an utterly fascinating investigation by one of the most celebrated science writers of our time. Zimmer journeys through the strange experiments that have attempted to recreate life. Literally hundreds of definitions of what that should look like now exist, but none has yet emerged as an obvious winner. Lists of what living things have in common do not add up to a theory of life. It’s never clear why some items on the list are essential and others not. Coronaviruses have altered the course of history, and yet many scientists maintain they are not alive. Chemists are creating droplets that can swarm, sense their environment, and multiply – have they made life in the lab? Whether he is handling pythons in Alabama or searching for hibernating bats in the Adirondacks, Zimmer revels in astounding examples of life at its most bizarre. He tries his own hand at evolving life in a test tube with unnerving results. Charting the obsession with Dr Frankenstein’s monster and how Coleridge came to believe the whole universe was alive, Zimmer leads us all the way into the labs and minds of researchers working on engineering life from the ground up.Trade ReviewThis book is not just about life, but about discovery itself. It is about error and hubris, but also about wonder and the reach of science. And it is bookended with the ultimate question: How do we define the thing that defines us? -- Siddhartha Mukherjee, author of The Gene * New York Times *Profound, lyrical, and fascinating, Life’s Edge will give you a newfound appreciation for life itself. It is the work of a master science writer at the height of his skills – a welcome gift at a time when life seems more precious than ever. -- Ed Yong, author of I Contain MultitudesA fascinating and well-written mapping of the edges of biology, which will have broad appeal to nonscientists. * Library Journal (starred review) *Diligently tackles the true definition of life . . . Zimmer invites us to observe, ponder, and celebrate life's exquisite diversity, nuances, and ultimate unity. * Booklist (starred review) *A master science writer explores the definition of life . . . An ingenious case that the answers to life's secrets are on the horizon. * Kirkus Reviews *A pop science tour de force. * Publisher’s Weekly *Carl Zimmer shows what a great suspense novel science can be. Life's Edge is a timely exploration in an age when modern Dr. Frankensteins are hard at work, but Carl’s artful, vivid, irresistible writing transcends the moment in these twisting chapters of intellectual revelation. Prepare to be enthralled. -- Jennifer Doudna, Nobel Laureate, co-author of A Crack in Creation
£9.49
Granta Books Our Inner Ape: The Best And Worst Of Human Nature
Book SynopsisWe have long attributed man's violent, aggressive, competitive nature to his animal ancestry. But what if we are just as given to cooperation, empathy and morality by virtue of our genes? From a scientist and writer whom E. O. Wilson has called 'the world authority on primate social behavior' comes a lively look at the most provocative aspects of human nature - power, sex, violence, kindness, and morality - through our two closest cousins in the ape family. For nearly twenty years, Frans de Waal has worked with both the famously aggressive chimpanzee and the lesser-known egalitarian, erotic, matriarchal bonobo, two species whose DNA is nearly identical to that of humans. He brings these apes to life on every page, revealing their personalities, relationships and power struggles, creating an engrossing narrative that explores what their behaviour can teach us about ourselves and each other.Trade ReviewAn eagerly awaited publishing event... a revealing picture of the inner ape- what lies inside each and every one of us' Desmond Morris, author of The Naked Ape 'A profoundly illuminating book on humans by a great primatologist' John Gray 'De Waal's prose is as elegant and engrossing as ever' BBC Wildlife magazine 'De Waal's love for the apes comes through strongly in his warm, well written description... De Waal tells a captivating and fascinating tale' Popular Science Review 'De Waal has, accordingly, put new life into a debate that appeared to be running out of steam' Sunday Times Including photographs by the author For further information go to www.ourinnerape.com; author interview on Granta website
£9.49
The Natural History Museum The Malay Archipelago
Book SynopsisThe Malay Archipelago is a vivid, momentous and far-reaching account of Alfred Russel Wallace's eight-year exploration of South East Asia in the 1850s and 60s.Trade Review"There is no more admirable character in the history of science" Sir David Attenborough
£13.49
Icon Books Introducing Evolution: A Graphic Guide
Book SynopsisIn 1859, Charles Darwin shocked the world with a radical theory - evolution by natural selection. One hundred and fifty years later, his theory still challenges some of our most precious beliefs.Introducing Evolution provides a step-by-step guide to 'Darwin's dangerous idea' and takes a fresh look at the often misunderstood concepts of natural selection and the selfish gene. Drawing on the latest findings from genetics, ecology and animal behaviour- as well as the work of best-selling science writers such as Richard Dawkins and Steven Pinker- this book reveals how the evidence in favour of evolutionary theory is stronger than ever.
£7.19
Ebury Publishing Science of Discworld III Darwins Watch
Book SynopsisIan Stewart (Author) Professor Ian Stewart is the author of many popular science books. He is the mathematics consultant for New Scientist and a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Warwick. He was awarded the Michael Faraday Prize for furthering the public understanding of science, and in 2001 became a Fellow of the Royal Society.Terry Pratchett (Author) Terry Pratchett was the acclaimed creator of the global bestselling Discworld series, the first of which, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983. In all, he was the author of over fifty bestselling books which have sold over 100 million copies worldwide. His novels have been widely adapted for stage and screen, and he was the winner of multiple prizes, including the Carnegie Medal. He was awarded a knighthood for services to literature in 2009, although he always wryly maintained that his greatest service to literature was to avoid writing any. www.terrypratchettbooks.comJack Cohen (Author) Dr Jack Cohen is an internationally-known reproductive biologist, and lives in Newent, Gloucestershire. Jack has a laboratory in his kitchen, helps couples get pregnant by referring them to colleagues, invents biologically realistic aliens for science fiction writers and, in his spare time, throws boomerangs. Jack, who has more letters to his name than can be repeated here, writes, lectures, talks and campaigns to promote public awareness of science, particularly biology. He is mostly retired.Trade ReviewIt is exhilarating to feel yourself immersed in such well-expressed and up-to-date debates... * New Scientist *The hard science is as gripping as the fiction * The Times *Entertaining and illuminating * New Scientist *Fantastic... this is some of the best science writing around today, intelligent and witty, creative and playful... if only science could be taught like this in school, many of us would have paid more attention * Fortean Times *
£14.24
Vintage Publishing The Origin of Species
Book SynopsisDiscover Charles Darwin''s most important ideas... When the eminent naturalist Charles Darwin returned from South America on board the H.M.S Beagle in 1836, he brought notes and evidence that would form the basis of his landmark theory: that species evolve by a process of natural selection. This theory, published as The Origin of Species in 1859, is the basis of modern biology and the concept of biodiversity. It also sparked a fierce scientific, religious and philosophical debate that still rages today. WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY DARWIN''S GREAT-GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER, RUTH PADELTrade ReviewWhy does Darwin's theory matter now? Because it is the basis of modern biology and much medical research; it provides a tool with which to understand the natural world; it offers a deeper, if imperfect, understanding of our behaviour, about where we came from and where we might be going * Observer *The single best idea anybody ever had -- Daniel Dennet, philosopherThe most important book ever written * New Scientist *No other book has so transformed how we look at the natural world and mankind's origins * Sunday Telegraph *There are few books that I read more than once but The Origin Of Species by Charles Darwin is one -- David Attenborough
£11.69
Oxford University Press Evolution
Book SynopsisLess than 450 years ago, all European scholars believed that the Earth was at the centre of a Universe that was at most a few million miles in extent, and that the planets, sun, and stars all rotated around this centre. Less than 250 years ago, they believed that the Universe was created essentially in its present state about 6000 years ago. Even less than 150 years ago, the view that living species were the result of special creation by God was still dominant. The recognition by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace of the mechanism of evolution by natural selection has completely transformed our understanding of the living world, including our own origins. In this Very Short Introduction Brian and Deborah Charlesworth provide a clear and concise summary of the process of evolution by natural selection, and how natural selection gives rise to adaptations and eventually, over many generations, to new species. They introduce the central concepts of the field of evolutionary biology, as they have developed since Darwin and Wallace on the subject, over 140 years ago, and discuss some of the remaining questions regarding processes. They highlight the wide range of evidence for evolution, and the importance of an evolutionary understanding for instance in combating the rapid evolution of resistance by bacteria to antibiotics and of HIV to antiviral drugs. This reissue includes some key updates to the main text and a completely updated Further Reading section.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of ContentsREFERENCES; FURTHER READING; INDEX
£9.49
Cambridge University Press A Review and Evaluation of Homology Hypotheses in
Book SynopsisThe extraxial-axial theory (EAT) and universal elemental homology (UEH) are often portrayed as mutually exclusive hypotheses of homology within pentaradiate Echinodermata. The authors of this Element recommend these two hypotheses be used together to generate a better understanding of homology across Echinodermata.Table of Contents1. Introduction; 2. Homology Hypotheses for Echinodermata; 3. The Application of These Homology Hypotheses; 4. Reconciling EAT and UEH; 5. Future Areas of Study; References.
£16.15
Button Books My First Book of Evolution
Book Synopsis
£11.69
Quercus Publishing Endless Forms Most Beautiful: The New Science of
Book SynopsisSean Carroll explores how evolution has shaped nature's wondrous complexity and diversity, from insects to octopuses, from mice to men.We not only share nearly 99% of our genes with chimps, we also have some 35% in common with daffodils. Throughout much of the animal and even plant kingdoms, almost the same ancient genes code for almost the same proteins. And further, to everyone's astonishment, the genes involved in making the complex eyes of fruitflies are close matches to those involved in making the very different eyes of octopuses and people. So what leads to the nature's 'endless forms most beautiful'? The key to this mystery is being unravelled by 'Evo Devo' or the new science of evolutionary development biology. By looking at how a single-celled egg gives rise to a complex, multi-billion celled animal, Evo Devo is illuminating exactly how new species - butterflies and zebras, trilobites and dinosaurs, apes and humans - are made and evolved. The key, it turns out, is all about location and timing... For anyone who has ever pondered 'where did I come from', Endless Forms Most Beautiful explores our history, both the journey we have all made from egg to adult, and the long trek from the origin of life to the very recent origin of our species.Trade Review'Sean B. Carroll is the ideal author to lead the curious on this intellectual adventure - he is the acknowledged leader of the field' Lewis Wolpert. * Lewis Wolpert *'Impressively skilful first book' Independent. * Independent *'A first-rate introduction to Evo Devo' Nature. * Nature *'Carroll... writes in a lively style, peppering the book with endlessly fascinating examples' Scientific American. * Scientific American *'Provides an essential glimpse into both the creation of life and the excitement of scientific discovery' Sunday Telegraph. * Sunday Telegraph *'Makes Evo Devo accessible to a wider readership ... Carroll does it splendidly' Guardian. * Guardian *Table of ContentsPreface: Revolution No.3. Introduction: Butterflies, Zebras, and Embryos. The Making of Animals: Animal Architecture - Modern Forms, Ancient Designs; Monsters, Mutants, and Master Genes; From E.coli to Elephants; Making Babies - 25,000 Genes, Some Assembly Required; The Dark Matter of the Genome - Operating Instructions for the Tool Kit. Fossils, Genes, and the Making of Animal Diversity: The Big Bang of Animal Evolution; Little Bangs - Wings and Other Revolutionary Inventions; How the Butterfly Got Its Spots; Paint It Black; A Beautiful Mind - The Making of Homo sapiens; Endless Forms Most Beautiful. Sources and Further Reading. Acknowledgements. Index.
£11.69
Everyman Origin Of The Species
Book SynopsisWhen the eminent naturalist Charles Darwin returned from South America on board the H.M.S Beagle in 1836, he brought with him the notes and evidence which would form the basis of his landmark theory of evolution of species by a process of natural selection. This theory, published as The Origin of Species in 1859, is the basis of modern biology and the concept of biodiversity. It also sparked a fierce scientific, religious and philosophical debate which still continues today.Trade ReviewThe most important book ever written * New Scientist *No other book has so transformed how we look at the natural world and mankind's origins * Sunday Telegraph *Why does Darwin's theory matter now? Because it is the basis of modern biology and much medical research; it provides a tool with which to understand the natural world; it offers a deeper, if imperfect, understanding of our behaviour, about where we came from and where we might be going * Observer *
£19.00
The University of Chicago Press How to Tame a Fox and Build a Dog Visionary
Book SynopsisThe crazy story of how Soviet scientists in Siberia in the 1950s embarked on a project to turn foxes into dogs through selective breeding—and managed it within mere generations.Trade Review"If you read only two biology books this year, this is one of those two that you simply must read."--Grrl Scientist "Forbes " "Dugatkin and Trut have collaborated to produce a well-written and engaging account of one the most influential biological studies ever: the fox farm experiment. Over sixty years ago, a Russian geneticist dared to start an experiment to see if foxes could be domesticated and what variables contributed to the changes domestication brought. The courage involved in starting such an experiment in the USSR of the 1950s was remarkable; the dedication and curiosity that have kept it going ever since have led to stunning new insights on the mechanisms of domestication. Every biologist should read this book!"--Pat Shipman, author of The Invaders: How Humans and Their Dogs Drove Neanderthals to Extinction "An excellent book. The writing is clear and makes for fascinating popular science. This book will attract a wide audience, and I know of none other with such a dramatic combination of good science and social history."--Aubrey Manning, coauthor of An Introduction to Animal Behaviour "Over the course of decades, Russian scientists transformed wild foxes into friendly pets. They used no science-fiction genetic engineering. They simply guided evolution. This landmark experiment tells us some profound things about domestication, behavior, and ourselves. Finally, someone has written a book-length account of the experience--and a fascinating one at that."--Carl Zimmer, author of Evolution: The Triumph of an Idea "In the first book on the famous 'Siberian fox study, ' this extraordinary chronicle recounts one of the world's most important animal studies. It has not only provided stunning insights into how domestication works and how fast it can happen. It also helps us understand the origins of our deepest non-human bonds--our friendships with our dogs--and where and how they came into being."--Carl Safina, author of Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel "Profound insights into how dogs evolved from wolves come from a remarkable, multidecade experiment on foxes that was carried out under the supervision of the Russian geneticist Dmitri Belyaev from the 1950s onward. Because much of the research was published in Russian, How to Tame a Fox, which is cowritten by Lyudmila Trut--a central figure in the project over many decades--will be widely welcomed for the extraordinary detail it contains." --Tim Flannery "New York Review of Books "
£17.10
Dorling Kindersley Ltd Evolution
Book Synopsis
£21.25
Princeton University Press The Secret of Our Success
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Limber and lucid."--Barbara Kiser, Nature "[A] pleasure for the biologically and scientifically inclined."--Kirkus "Henrich draws on his far-flung ethnographic field studies and the work of colleagues to illustrate the adaptive power of human culture."--The Scientist "Joseph Henrich ... offers a compelling and comprehensive answer in his exceptional new book The Secret of Our Success: How Culture is Driving Human Evolution, Domesticating Our Species, and Making Us Smarter. It is an intellectual tour-de-force that offers an overview for the field of cultural evolution."--Joe Brewer, This View of Life blog "A provocative alternative to the standard narrative about evolution... Henrich's book is immensely ambitious, informative, and important.--Glenn Altschuler, Psychology Today "Mind-stretching... Henrich's book will take you on a prodigious journey through human nature and society."--Alun Anderson, New Scientist "I thought I understood cultural evolution. But in his new book, The Secret of Our Success, Joseph Henrich schooled me. I felt like I learned more from his book than from the last dozen books I've read."--Robin Hanson, Overcoming Bias blog "Henrich posits a unique approach to understanding human behavior, not in purely evolutionary terms, but as a process of cultural evolution."--Library Journal "Human evolutionary biologist and psychologist, Joseph Henrich, a professor at both Harvard and the University of British Columbia has provided compelling insights into the ways that social, physical, scientific, agricultural, religious, and other human practices commonly termed 'culture' have honed man's skills and fostered survival strategies... The contents offer a very readable and riveting story of how culture--gene interaction must be examined when assaying human intelligence."--NSTA Recommends "A tour-de-force and a significant advancement of social science."--Darwinian Business "Culture sits upon a foundation of genetics and biology but is separate from it. Joseph Henrich wanted to upend this conventional narrative... The implications of this new, continuing narrative for the way we think about people, societies, and even companies are both subtle and significant."--David K. Hurst, Strategy + Business "This book synthesizes, in a format accessible to general readers, research from a variety of disciplines that address in varying ways, the evolutionary journey begun about 6 million years ago by our primate ancestors, forming humans in the process, into a unique species centered, according to Harvard evolutionary biologist Henrich, around social learning, cultural transmission, and cumulative culture."--Choice "A deep account of the relationship between culture and the human mind is now emerging, with The Secret of our Success by anthropologist Joseph Henrich blazing a trail in late 2015. Here Laland adds important layers to this new understanding."--New ScientistTable of ContentsPreface ix 1 A Puzzling Primate 1 2 It's Not Our Intelligence 8 3 Lost European Explorers 22 4 How to Make a Cultural Species 34 5 What Are Big Brains For? Or, How Culture Stole Our Guts 54 6 Why Some People Have Blue Eyes 83 7 On the Origin of Faith 97 8 Prestige, Dominance, and Menopause 117 9 In-Laws, Incest Taboos, and Rituals 140 10 Intergroup Competition Shapes Cultural Evolution 166 11 Self-Domestication 185 12 Our Collective Brains 211 13 Communicative Tools with Rules 231 14 Enculturated Brains and Honorable Hormones 260 15 When We Crossed the Rubicon 280 16 Why Us? 296 17 A New Kind of Animal 314 Notes 333 References 373 Illustration Credits 429 Index 431
£16.99
Oneworld Publications The Third Chimpanzee: On the Evolution and Future
Book SynopsisThe Third Chimpanzee was first published in 1991 and has been in print ever since. This new, illustrated edition is aimed at a young readership. In it, Jared Diamond explores what makes us human and poses fascinating questions. If we share more than 98% of our DNA with chimpanzees, how is it that we can write, read, talk, build telescopes and bombs, while we put our speechless and bomb-less close relatives in cages and zoos? What can woodpeckers teach us about spacecraft? Is genocide a human invention? Why does extinction matter? Why are we destroying the natural resources on which we depend for survival? What hope is there for future generations? Not only is The Third Chimpanzee a mind-boggling survey of how we came to be, but it is also a plea to the next generation to "make better decisions than their parents and get us out of the mess we're in."Trade Review'A master storyteller of the human race.' * Daily Mail *'Informative, most fascinating, and very readable.' -- Library Journal'This is exactly the kind of book that should be a 'set text' for secondary school science: engaging, thought-provoking and bang up to the minute. if your teachers aren't recommending books like this - go out and get them anyway.' -- Guy Claxton, author of What's the Point of School?‘An important book and a valuable resource for students of the natural sciences’ * Carousel *'Thoughtful readers interested in any fields related to evolutionary science, anthropology, psychology, human history, and culture will find plenty to ponder.' * School Library Journal *Praise for the adult edition: ‘Written with great wit and a pleasure to read... forces one to reflect thoroughly on the puzzle of human evolution, on where we came from and where we may be heading.’ * New York Times *
£11.69
Oxford University Press Biogeography
Book SynopsisBiogeography is the study of geographic variation in all characteristics of life - ranging from genetic, morphological and behavioural variation among regional populations of a species, to geographic trends in diversity of entire communities across our planet''s sufrace. From the ancient hunters and gatherers to the earliest naturalists, Charles Darwin, Alfred Russel Wallace, and scientists today, the search for patterns in life has provided insights that proved invaluable for understanding the natural world. And many, if not most, of the compelling kaleidoscope of patterns in biological diversity make little sense unless placed in an explicit geographic context. The Very Short Introduction explains the historical development of the field of biogeography, its fundamental tenets, principles and tools, and the invaluable insights it provides for understanding the diversity of life in the natural world. As Mark Lomolino shows, key questions such as where species occur, how they vary from place to place, where their ancestors occurred, and how they spread across the globe, are essential for us to develop effective strategies for conserving the great menagerie of life across our planet.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewThis is a good read on a fascinating discipline that Lomolino's holistic approach, which includes geology, paleontology, anthropology, ecology, evolution, and conservation science, serves well. * Society for Conservation Biology *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements List of illustrations 1: Biological diversity and the geography of nature 2: Dynamics maps of a dynamic planet 3: Geography of diversification 4: Retracing evolution across space and time 5: The geography of biological diversity 6: Macroecology and the geography of micro-evolution 7: The geographic and ecological advance of humanity Further reading Index
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Symphony in C
Book SynopsisAn enchanting biography of the most resonant and most necessary chemical element on Earth.Carbon. It is the building block of every cell that makes up every living thing. It is the essential component of the food we eat, the fuel we burn, the wood we use and the air we breathe. It is worth billions as a luxury and half a trillion as a necessity, but there are still mysteries to be solved about the element that can be both diamond and coal. Where does it come from, what does it do, and why, above all, does life need it?In Symphony in C, leading carbon scientist Robert M. Hazen takes us on a vibrant journey through the origin and evolution of life's most widespread element. The story unfolds in four movements Earth, Air, Fire and Water and transports us through nearly 14 billion years of cosmic history, explaining how carbon is formed in the hearts of stars and why all life forms earthbound or alien use it as the basis of their biology. Symphony in C is a sweeping chronicle of carbTrade ReviewPraise for Symphony in C ‘A valuable and welcome explanation of why we would do well to pay more attention to the sixth element – and of how much more remains to be discovered about its planetary role through time’ Nature ‘Covering topics from carbon’s ancient origins to the threats that carbon compounds pose to our future climate, Hazen’s book is a fascinating read. Symphony in C chronicles cutting-edge science that’s helping researchers make better sense of the carbon-rich world around us’ Science News ‘From the Big Bang to coal, carbohydrates, and ultra-strong high-tech nanofibers, Robert M. Hazen provides an illuminating and enjoyable guide to the remarkable odyssey of carbon, the element of life. Enjoy the trip!’ Andrew Knoll, Fisher Professor of Natural History, Harvard University ‘C is the element carbon. C is a musical note. Scientist-musician Hazen uses the element and the note to compose a symphonic masterpiece that reveals how the primitive life that began on our planet four billion years ago has evolved into Darwin’s “endless forms most beautiful“’ David W. Deamer, author of Assembling Life ‘Hazen’s virtuoso performance captures the wonder of the sixth element – from volcanic gases to al dente pasta to life’s very beginnings – while telling the wonderful stories about the people behind the discoveries’ Terry Plank, Arthur D. Storke Memorial Professor of Geochemistry, Columbia University ‘This book is an incredibly rich story of carbon and its role in of life. Hazen has outdone himself in delivering an engaging, edifying, great read. If you don’t know why carbon is important in your life, or even if you think you do, you should put down whatever you’re reading and get this book’ Paul G. Falkowski, author of Life’s Engines``
£11.69
HarperCollins Publishers On the Origin of Evolution Tracing Darwins
Book SynopsisA Waterstones Best Book of 2020The theory of evolution by natural selection did not spring fully formed and unprecedented from the brain of Charles Darwin. Rather it has been examined and debated by philosophers the world over for thousands of years.This lively history traces the evolution of the idea of evolution, showing how it has changed and been changed by different societies over time. It will put ''Darwin's Dangerous Idea'' into its proper context, showing how it built on what went before and how it was developed in the twentieth century, through an understanding of genetics and the biochemical basis evolution. None of this diminishes the achievement of Darwin himself in perceiving the way evolution works at the level of individuals and species, but his contribution was one link in a chain that extends back into antiquity, and is still being forged today.Trade ReviewPraise for John and Mary Gribbin: ‘Elegant and meticulously researched … this is a most enjoyable book’ The Observatory ‘Mary and John Gribbin write with great clarity’ Guardian ‘Precise yet mysterious … as beautiful as a poem and as exciting as a novel’ Sunday Times ‘Immensely readable’ The Times
£10.44
Penguin Books Ltd Penguin Great Ideas On Natural Selection Charles
Book SynopsisThroughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization, and helped make us who we are.
£7.59
Penguin Books Ltd An Intimate History of Evolution The Story of the
Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE CUNDILL HISTORY PRIZE''A masterpiece of biography ... a vivid account of a family at the heart of some of the great cultural shifts of the modern era'' John Gray, New Statesman''The whole of British intellectual life seems accessible through some branch of this sprawling family tree'' The GuardianIn his early twenties, poor, depressed, stranded in the Coral Sea on the seemingly endless survey mission of HMS Rattlesnake, hopelessly in love with the young Englishwoman Henrietta Heathorn, Thomas Henry Huxley was a nobody. And yet together he and Henrietta would return to London and go on to found one of the great intellectual and scientific dynasties of their age.The Huxley family through four generations profoundly shaped how we all see ourselves, as individuals and as a species, one among many. They worked as scientists, novelists, mystics, film-makers, poets and - perhaps above all - as pubTrade ReviewA vivid account of a family at the heart of some of the great cultural shifts of the modern era ... a masterpiece of biography. -- John Gray * New Statesman *An intellectual history of Britain through the radical shifts in science and society that gave birth to modernity ... The whole of British intellectual life seems accessible through some branch of this sprawling family tree. -- Stephen Buranyi * The Guardian *Balancing scholarly rigour with an eye for the absurd, her book reveals the human drama behind scientific fact. * The Economist *What a family, what a story, and so cleverly told. Alison Bashford constructs a narrative that intertwines the lives of four generations of Huxleys, boldly forgoing traditional chronology for illuminating synthesis. Absolutely fascinating. -- Andrea Wulf, author of The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt’s New WorldSuperbly original and evocatively stylish ... Bashford has ingeniously created a loosely chronological account that weaves their own lives and experiences within ever-shifting attitudes towards evolution. -- Patricia Fara * BBC History Magazine *A patient, sympathetic portrait of a family riven with flaws. -- AN Wilson * Spectator *A detailed, nuanced, and superbly written joint biography of the intellectual lineage of the Huxleys ... rich and compelling ... Bashford elegantly reminds us that science has never banished the sacred for the secular, the irrational for the logical. Rather, it creates opportunities for new syntheses, new configurations of life, mind, soul, body, nature, and society. -- Philip Ball * The Lancet *Ambitious, scholarly ... a biography of ideas, using one family's history to explore the development of theories about generations, genealogy and genes, chronicling shifting attitudes to religion, race, women and animal experimentation - from morphology to ethology. -- Annalena McAfee * Financial Times *Lucid, lively and addictive ... a panoramic view of an era of extraordinary and accelerated change ... a celebration of intellectual bravery. -- Morag Fraser * Inside Story *I was captivated from beginning to end by the richness of the detail, the flaws and all personal biographies and most of all blown away by the intimate narrative of how the biggest science stories of the age had a Huxley as ringmaster or provocateur at their heart. -- Tim SmitDaring and joyously intelligent ... It is an astounding achievement that Bashford has transformed such a super-abundance of material into a richly rewarding and comprehensible book. The Huxleys brings the reader into easy familiarity with great minds at work. -- Richard Davenport-Hines * Wall Street Journal *Full of surprises on every page, this book makes you wonder why all history can't have the engaging intimacy of a novel. Bashford brilliantly marries intellectual history with the story of four generations of a great family in a literary tour de force. -- Professor Jim Secord, author of Visions of ScienceOver three generations, the extraordinary Huxley family have changed and reshaped the way we see ourselves. Now Alison Bashford has written a fascinating book that links T H Huxley, the great Victorian scientist with a Caribbean-born wife, to their remarkable grandchildren, Aldous and Julian, in a way that shows how the family struggled with depression and even lunacy while emphasising the crucial role played by the wives, sisters and daughters of these strange and brilliant men. It's a wonderful and important story, one that held me enthralled from start to end. -- Miranda SeymourPacked with insights into the brilliance of three generations of the Huxley family, Bashford's book tells a magnificent story about the huge personalities and shortcomings that propelled evolutionary science and much else besides. Male and female, from Victorian patriarch to zoo director, authors, lovers, and poets: the pages dance with accounts of contemporary literature, psychology, politics, anthropology, religion, and art. -- Janet Browne, author of Charles Darwin: A Biography and The Quotable DarwinOne of the most compelling and tragic multigenerational scientific legacies ... Bashford tells the story of these intertwined lives with sympathy and candour but also with dexterity. Readers follow the Huxleys as they contemplate nonhuman animals, primates, man, and mind in their intergenerational quest to understand the implications of evolution on what it means, or might mean, to be human." -- Piers J. Hale * Science *Who are we? What is our place in nature? How can we design morality and religion in a world informed by science? Alison Bashford moves across the Huxley generations, tracing how Thomas Henry and his gifted brood struggled to answer these questions, in the process shaping outlooks we hold today. -- Manvir Singh * New Yorker *A scholarly study of T. H. Huxley and his grandson [and a] guide to the history of evolutionary thinking... it's impressive that Bashford can command both these types of writing with equal authority. -- Stefan Collini * London Review of Books *How did a biological theory become such a central part of modern life? ... Bashford traces a cultural phenomenon that has profoundly shaped society and revolutionized our understanding of what it means to be human. -- Stuart Mathieson * Nature *It would be difficult to overstate the debt of gratitude owed to the Huxley dynasty for our knowledge of evolution in all its forms. Bashford narrates the fascinating story of 200 years o modern science and culture through one family history. -- Jules Stewart * Geographical Magazine *Bashford has crafted a masterful biography of Thomas Henry Huxley, patriarch of an evolutionary dynasty, his inheritor and grandson Julian, and the families that sustained them. Interweaving their public contributions to science and private poems, she deftly charts a generational quest to understand and articulate the human condition. -- Erika Lorraine Milam, author of Creatures of CainAlison Bashford's intimate story of the Huxley clan reveals the ambiguities that arise if we apply modern values to past heroes. Here science, society and personalities interact to bring the past alive. -- Peter Bowler, author of Progress Unchained: Ideas of Evolution, Human History and the Future
£13.49
Penguin Books Ltd The Zoologists Guide to the Galaxy
Book SynopsisA Times/Sunday Times Book of the Year DISCOVER HOW LIFE REALLY WORKS - ON EARTH AND IN SPACE ''A wonderfully insightful sidelong look at Earthly biology'' Richard Dawkins''Crawls with curious facts'' Sunday Times_________________________We are unprepared for the greatest discovery of modern science. Scientists are confident that there is alien life across the universe yet we have not moved beyond our perception of ''aliens'' as Hollywood stereotypes. The time has come to abandon our fixation on alien monsters and place our expectations on solid scientific footing.Using his own expert understanding of life on Earth and Darwin''s theory of evolution - which applies throughout the universe - Cambridge zoologist Dr Arik Kershenbaum explains what alien life must be like. This is the story of how life really works, on Earth and in space._________________________''An entertaining, eye-opening and, above all, a hopeful view of what - or who - might be out there in the cosmos'' Philip Ball, author of Nature''s Patterns''A fascinating insight into the deepest of questions: what might an alien actually look like'' Lewis Dartnell, author of Origins''If you don''t want to be surprised by extraterrestrial life, look no further than this lively overview of the laws of evolution that have produced life on earth'' Frans de Waal, author of Mama''s Last HugTrade ReviewI love The Zoologist's Guide to the Galaxy by Arik Kershenbaum. Although it sets out to be (and is) about alien life, what emerges is a wonderfully insightful sidelong look at Earthly biology -- Richard Dawkins, via TwitterIf you don't want to be surprised by extraterrestrial life, look no further than this lively overview of the laws of evolution that have produced life on earth. -- Frans de Waal, author of Mama’s Last HugA fun, and thoroughly biological, exploration of possible and impossible alien beings. If you'd love to know what real aliens from other planets might really be like, this is the book for you -- Susan Blackmore, author of Seeing MyselfSurveying the deep-time of evolution on Earth and his own cutting-edge research into animal communication, Kershenbaum provides a fascinating insight into the deepest of questions: what might an alien actually look like -- Lewis Dartnell, author of OriginsWhen we search for aliens, what are we searching for? If life exists on other worlds, it might look very different to life 'as we know it', but Arik Kershenbaum makes a persuasive and entertaining case that we needn't be completely in the dark. There are some rules that all beings with a claim to be alive must observe, and for which life on our planet can serve as a guide. This is an eye-opening and, above all, a hopeful view of what - or who - might be out there in the cosmos -- Philip Ball, author of Nature's PatternsEvolutionary theory helps us explain patterns in the past, and combined with a rich understanding of natural history and biodiversity, predict what might be discovered in the future. Arik Kershenbaum takes us on a joyous voyage of animal diversity and illustrates the singular importance of natural selection in explaining life - here on Earth - and what will likely be discovered throughout the galaxy. A stimulating read! -- Daniel T. Blumstein, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los AngelesThis is no mere frivolous exercise in arm-waving (or tentacle-waving) and baseless speculation. Instead, what emerges is a fascinating plunge into the deep-time history of life on Earth and animal evolution in all its glorious diversity . . . To comprehend the alien is to know thyself * The Times *The book crawls with curious facts . . . [Kershenbaum] is fascinating on how aliens might communicate -- James McConnachie * The Sunday Times *A wonderful mix of science-based speculation and entertaining whimsy -- David P. Barash * Wall Street Journal *
£10.44
Transworld Publishers Ltd Almost Like a Whale
Book SynopsisIn his new book, Steve Jones takes on the challenge of going back to the book of the millennium, Charles Darwin''s The Origin of Species. Before The Origin, biology was a set of unconnected facts. Darwin made it into a science, linked by the theory of evolution, the grammar of the living world.It reveals ties between cancer and the genetics of fish, between brewing and inherited disease, between the sex lives of crocodiles and the politics of Brazil. Darwin used the biology of the nineteenth century to prove his case. Now, that science has been revolutionized and his case can be reargued using the twentieth century''s astonishing advances.From AIDS to dinosaurs, from conservation to cloned sheep, bursting with anecdotes, jokes and irresistible facts, Almost Like a Whale is a popular account of the science that makes biology make sense. It will catch the millennial mood and tell all those for whom Darwin is merely a familiar name what he really meant. It exposes the DarwinianTrade Review'Inspired by his modernising pen, the old bones throw off their dust and dance the boogie...a richly readable introduction to the science that The Origin of Species invented' -- Mark Ridley * The Sunday Times *'A celebration of the unarguable rightness of Darwin's case, updated to take into account our century's advances, particularly in genetics...his writing is clear, precise, declamatory, often illuminating...he allies the macro and the micro, using tales of dogs and snails and polyps and islands, to create a work of persuasion rather than polemic' -- Euan Ferguson * Observer *'To rewrite Darwin requires considerable skill, bravado, and, possibly, a touch of madness. Jones clearly has more than his fair share of all three...a barnstorming tour of modern genetics and its implications for evolutionary theory' -- Kenan Malik * Independent on Sunday *'The richness is almost overwhelming, and I am awed by Jones's reading...hugely enjoyable' -- Steven Rose * Independent *'Explains the workings of evolution, as they are now understood, with beautiful clarity and, naturally, with a lot more fun and jokes than Darwin ever allowed himself. The book is a pleasure to read' -- Mary Midgley * New Statesman *
£13.49
The Natural History Museum Extinction
Book SynopsisExtinction: not the end of the world? is a highly readable introduction to the causes of extinction, the different types of extinction and how relevant it is to the world today. Ideal for those who are new to the subject, it is fully illustrated with colour diagrams and photographs.Table of ContentsThe nature of extinction; Types of extinction; Causes of extinction; Extinction and biodiversity; The sixth mass extinction?; Are humans heading for extinction?; The importance of extinction today; Extinction and conservation.
£9.49
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Cell Biology
Book SynopsisTable of ContentsPreface, xi Acknowledgments, xiii About the companion website, xv Section 1: The Structure of the Cell, 1 1 A Look at Cells and Tissues, 3 Only Two Types of Cell, 3 Cell Division, 4 Viruses, 4 Origin of Eukaryotic Cells, 6 Cell Specialization in Animals, 8 Stem Cells and Tissue Replacement, 10 The Cell Wall, 11 Microscopes Reveal Cell Structure, 11 The Modern Light Microscope, 11 The Transmission Electron Microscope, 12 The Scanning Electron Microscope, 14 Fluorescence Microscopy, 14 Increasing the Resolution of Fluorescence Microscopes, 15 Fluorescent Proteins, 15 2 Membranes and Organelles, 21 Basic Properties of Cell Membranes, 21 Organelles Bounded by Double-Membrane Envelopes, 22 The Nucleus, 22 Mitochondria, 24 Organelles Bounded by Single Membranes, 24 Peroxisomes, 25 Endoplasmic Reticulum, 25 Golgi Apparatus, 25 Lysosomes, 25 The Connected Cell, 26 Organelle Junctions, 26 Cell Junctions, 26 Section 2: The Molecular Biology Of The Cell, 33 3 DNA Structure And The Genetic Code, 35 The Structure of DNA, 35 The DNA Molecule Is a Double Helix, 37 Hydrogen Bonds Form Between Base Pairs, 37 DNA Strands Are Antiparallel, 37 The Two DNA Strands Are Complementary, 39 DNA as the Genetic Material, 39 Packaging of DNA Molecules into Chromosomes, 39 Eukaryotic Chromosomes and Chromatin Structure, 39 Prokaryotic Chromosomes, 40 Plasmids, 41 Viruses, 42 The Genetic Code, 42 Amino Acids and Proteins, 42 Reading the Genetic Code, 42 Amino Acid Names Are Abbreviated, 44 The Code Is Degenerate but Unambiguous, 44 Start and Stop Codons and the Reading Frame, 45 The Code Is Nearly Universal, 45 Missense Mutations, 46 4 DNA As A Data Storage Medium, 51 DNA Replication, 51 The DNA Replication Fork, 51 Proteins Open up the DNA Double Helix During Replication, 51 DnaA Protein, 52 DnaB and DnaC Proteins, 52 Single-Stranded DNA-Binding Proteins, 52 Biochemistry of DNA Replication, 52 DNA Synthesis Requires an RNA Primer, 55 RNA Primers Are Removed, 55 The Self-Correcting DNA Polymerase, 55 Mismatch Repair Backs Up the Proofreading Mechanism, 55 DNA Repair after Replication, 56 Spontaneous and Chemically Induced Base Changes, 56 Repair Processes, 57 Gene Structure and Organization in Eukaryotes, 59 Introns and Exons – Additional Complexity in Eukaryotic Genes, 59 The Major Classes of Eukaryotic DNA, 60 Gene Nomenclature, 61 5 Transcription and the Control of Gene Expression, 67 Structure of RNA, 67 RNA Polymerase, 67 Gene Notation, 68 Bacterial RNA Synthesis, 69 Control of Bacterial Gene Expression, 71 Lac, an Inducible Operon, 71 Trp, a Repressible Operon, 74 Eukaryotic RNA Synthesis, 75 Messenger RNA Processing in Eukaryotes, 76 Control of Eukaryotic Gene Expression, 77 Glucocorticoids Cross the Plasma Membrane to Activate Transcription, 79 Noncoding RNAs and the Control of Eukaryotic Gene Expression, 80 Micro RNAs, 80 Long Noncoding RNAs, 81 Circular RNAs, 81 6 Manufacturing Protein, 85 Attachment of an Amino Acid to Its tRNA, 85 Transfer RNA, the Anticodon, and Wobble, 85 The Ribosome, 89 Bacterial Protein Synthesis, 89 Ribosome-Binding Site, 89 Chain Initiation, 90 Initiation Factor 2 Is a GTPase, 90 The 70S Initiation Complex, 91 Elongation of the Protein Chain in Bacteria, 92 The Polyribosome, 94 Termination of Protein Synthesis, 94 The Ribosome Is Recycled, 95 Eukaryotic Protein Synthesis Is a Little More Complex, 95 Antibiotics and Protein Synthesis, 97 Protein Destruction, 98 7 Protein Structure, 103 Naming Proteins, 103 Polymers of Amino Acids, 104 The Amino Acid Building Blocks, 104 The Unique Properties of Each Amino Acid, 107 Other Amino Acids Are Found in Nature, 109 The Three-Dimensional Structures of Proteins, 109 Hydrogen Bonds, 109 Electrostatic Interactions, 109 Van der Waals Forces, 109 Hydrophobic Interactions, 109 Disulfide Bonds, 109 Levels of Complexity, 110 The Primary Structure, 110 The Secondary Structure, 111 Tertiary Structure: Domains and Motifs, 114 Quaternary Structure: Assemblies of Protein Subunits, 118 Prosthetic Groups, 118 The Primary Structure Contains all the Information Necessary to Specify Higher-Level Structures, 119 Protein–Protein Interactions Underlie all of Cell Biology, 119 8 Recombinant DNA Technology and Genetic Engineering, 123 DNA Cloning, 123 Creating the Clone, 124 Introduction of Foreign DNA Molecules into Bacteria, 124 Genomic DNA Clones, 126 Uses of DNA Clones, 128 Southern Blotting, 129 In-Situ Hybridization, 130 Northern Blotting, 130 Production of Mammalian Proteins in Bacteria and Eukaryotic Cells, 130 Polymerase Chain Reaction, 132 DNA Sequencing, 133 “Omics”, 135 Transcriptomics, 135 Microarrays, 135 RNA-Seq, 136 ChIP-Seq and Epigenomics, 136 Other “Omics”, 137 Identifying the Gene Responsible for a Disease, 137 Reverse Genetics, 137 Transgenic and Knockout Mice, 137 RNA Interference (RNAi), 139 CRISPR/Cas9, 139 Ethics of DNA Testing for Inherited Disease, 140 Section 3: Cell Communication, 145 9 Carriers, Channels, And Voltages, 147 Carriers, 147 The Glucose Carrier, 149 The Sodium/Calcium Exchanger, 150 The Sodium/Potassium ATPase, 150 The Calcium ATPase, 151 The Potassium Gradient and the Resting Voltage, 152 Potassium Channels Make the Plasma Membrane Permeable to Potassium Ions, 152 Concentration Gradients and Electrical Voltage Can Balance, 154 The Action Potential, 156 The Pain Receptor Neuron, 156 The Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel, 158 The Sodium Action Potential, 158 The Strength of a Signal Is Coded by Action Potential Frequency, 159 Myelination and Rapid Action Potential Transmission, 161 10 Signalling Through Ions, 165 Calcium as a Signaling Ion, 165 Calcium Can Enter Cells from the Extracellular Medium, 165 Calcium Can Be Released from Organelles, 166 Processes Activated by Cytosolic Calcium Are Extremely Diverse, 167 Return of Calcium to Resting Levels, 169 Propagating the Signal, 170 Transmitters Are Released at Synapses, 170 Ligand-Gated Ion Channels Respond to Transmitters, 170 Rapid Communication: From Neurons to Their Targets, 171 Inhibitory Transmission, 172 Signaling at the Neuromuscular Junction, 175 11 Signalling Through Enzymes, 179 G Protein-Coupled Receptors and Second Messengers, 179 G Protein-Coupled Receptors Are an Abundant Class of Cell Surface Receptors, 179 Inositol Trisphosphate Controls Secretion in the Exocrine Pancreas, 179 Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate Helps Us Smell, 181 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases and the Map Kinase Cascade, 183 Growth Factors Can Trigger a Calcium Signal, 185 Akt and the Glucose Carrier: How Insulin Works, 185 Cytokine Receptors, 187 Signaling Through Proteolysis, 188 Wnt Proteins Signal Through Receptors that Prevent Proteolysis of Beta Catenin, 188 Low Oxygen Levels Are Sensed by Preventing Proteolysis of Hypoxia-Inducing Factor, 189 Intracellular Receptors, 190 Guanylate Cyclase Is a Receptor for Nitric Oxide, 190 Many Steroid Hormone Receptors Are Transcription Factors, 190 Crosstalk – Signaling Pathways or Signaling Webs?, 190 Signaling in the Control of Muscle Blood Supply, 192 The Blood Supply Is Under Local Control, 193 The Blood Supply Is Under Nervous System Control, 193 The Blood Supply Is Under Hormonal Control, 194 New Blood Vessels in Growing Muscle, 194 Section 4: The Mechanics Of The Cell, 199 12 Intracellular Trafficking, 201 Principles of Protein Transport, 201 Proteins Enter Organelles in Different Ways, 201 Vesicles Shuttle Proteins Around the Cell Through Fission and Fusion, 202 The Destination of a Protein Is Determined by Sorting Signals, 204 GTPases Are Master Regulators of Traffic, 205 Trafficking to the Endoplasmic Reticulum and Plasma Membrane, 205 Synthesis on the Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum, 205 Glycosylation: The Endoplasmic Reticulum and Golgi System, 206 Coatomer-Coated Vesicles, 207 Trans Golgi Network and Protein Secretion, 208 Trafficking to the Lysosome, 209 Endocytosis Is a Gateway into the Cell, 209 Clathrin-Coated Vesicles, 209 Delivery of Enzymes to Lysosomes, 209 Lysosomes Degrade Proteins from both Outside and Inside of the Cell: Autophagy, 210 Trafficking to and from the Nucleus, 210 The Nuclear Pore Complex, 211 Gated Transport Through the Nuclear Pore, 212 GTPases in Nuclear Transport, 212 Trafficking to Other Organelles, 212 Transport to Mitochondria, 212 Transport to Peroxisomes, 215 13 CELLULAR SCAFFOLDING, 219 Microtubules, 219 Functions of Microtubules, 222 Intracellular Transport and Cellular Architecture, 222 Cell Movement by Cilia and Flagella, 223 Microfilaments, 225 Functions of Microfilaments, 226 Muscle Contraction, 226 Microfilament-Based Cell Migration, 227 Intermediate Filaments, 228 Functions of Intermediate Filaments, 229 Anchoring Cell Junctions, 229 The Nuclear Lamina, 230 14 Controlling Cell Number, 233 M-phase, 235 Mitosis, 235 Cytokinesis, 236 Control of the Cell Cycle, 238 The Cell Cycle Is Driven by Kinase Activities, 238 Checkpoints Tell the Cell Cycle When to Stop and When to Go, 239 The Mitotic Checkpoint Determines When the Cell Cycle Ends, 241 Cell Cycle Control and Cancer, 241 Meiosis and Fertilization, 242 Meiosis, 242 Crossing Over and Linkage, 245 Cell Death, 246 Cell Stress Activates the Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway, 246 Communication with the External Environment Can Activate the Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway, 247 Default Death: Apoptosis as a Result of Absence of Growth Factors, 248 Section 5 Case Study, 253 15 Case Study: Cystic Fibrosis, 255 Cystic Fibrosis Is a Severe Genetic Disease, 255 The Fundamental Lesion in Cystic Fibrosis Lies in Chloride Transport, 256 Cloning the CFTR Gene, 256 The CFTR Gene Codes for a Chloride Ion Channel, 257 Replacing or Repairing the Gene, 259 Tailoring Treatment to the Patient’s Lesion, 260 New Treatments for CF, 261 Diagnostic Tests for CF, 261 Prenatal implantation diagnosis for CF, 262 Conclusion, 262 Answers to Review Questions, 265 Glossary, 273 Index, 307
£71.06
John Murray Press The Master Builder
Book Synopsis''Timely, important and compelling'' Philip Ball''A new and stunning argument'' Azra RazaWhat defines who we are? Until now, the biological answer has been our genes. Leading biologist Alfonso Martinez Arias breaks with popular tradition to make a bold argument: what defines us is our cells. Drawing on groundbreaking research, he reveals that we are composed of a thrillingly complex, constantly rearranging symphony of cells that know how to count, feel, and give form to our bodies. While DNA is important, nothing in your genes explains why your heart is on the left, why you have five fingers and not ten, why genetically identical twins have different sets of fingerprints, or why it''s possible for a mother to apparently share no DNA with the children she gave birth to! At the heart of it all is a powerful new conception of the essence of life. Our identities are shaped by the interconnections between cells, working cooperatively, creatTrade ReviewA timely, important and compelling case for why an understanding of living organisms must start with the cell. He offers a vision of life that shows it to be much more interesting and ingenious than any simplistic notion of genetic blueprints can provide -- Philip Ball, author of CRITICAL MASS and THE BOOK OF MINDSThis book makes a new and stunning argument, not so much that we should put DNA in its place, but that we can see the grandeur of life as it truly is -- Azra Raza, author of THE FIRST CELLWhat came first, the chicken or the egg? In The Master Builder, Alfonso Martinez Arias poses a different question: what drives biology, genes or cells? His surprising answer shines new light on the fascinating riddle of development and offers a majestic cells-eye view of life itself -- Lee Billings, author of FIVE BILLION YEARS OF SOLITUDEIn this masterful account, geneticist and developmental biologist Alfonso Martinez Arias shows that, on its own, DNA is powerless, inert . . . This cell's-eye view of life is powerful and striking, helping to reveal why DNA is not the ultimate determinant of ourselves . . . This clearly explained, beautiful book will change how you think about DNA, about how you came to be, and about life itself -- Matthew Cobb, author of AS GODSAn ingenious argument . . . A rich, detailed exploration of the vitality of cells -- Kirkus ReviewsAlfonso Martinez Arias's novel thesis invigorates, and the lucid scientific discussions will hold readers' attention even through involved examinations of how cells respond to specific proteins. This is the perfect complement to Siddhartha Mukherjee's The Song of the Cell -- Publishers Weekly, starred review
£21.25
Little, Brown Book Group Mismatch
Book SynopsisOur brains evolved to solve the survival problems of our Stone Age ancestors, so when faced with modern day situations that are less extreme, they often encounter a mismatch. Our primitive brains put us on the wrong foot by responding to stimuli that - in prehistoric times - would have prompted behaviour that was beneficial. If you''ve ever felt an anxious fight or flight response to a presenting at a board meeting, equivalent to facing imminent death by sabre-toothed tiger, then you have experienced a mismatch.Mismatch is about the clash between our biology and our culture. It is about the dramatic contrast between the first few million years of human history - when humans lived as hunters and gatherers in small-scale societies - and the past twelve thousand years following the agricultural revolution which have led us to comfortable lives in a very different social structure. Has this rapid transition been good for us? How do we, using our primitive minds, try to su
£9.49
Pinter & Martin Ltd. Do We Need Midwives?
Book SynopsisWhat is the future of the human capacity to give birth? What is the future of underused physiological functions? Should we expect an evolution of Homo sapiens in relation to the way babies are born? Can fast-developing scientific disciplines induce a new awareness? In this wide-ranging, interdisciplinary look at the future of birth, renowned obstetrician Michel Odent takes the question ‘Do we need midwives?’ as a starting point. If a paradigm shift occurs, what kind of midwives shall we need? For how long can we go on neutralizing the laws of natural selection? Are human beings able to raise vital questions before it is too late? Unprecedented situations should first and foremost inspire appropriate questions.Table of Contents1 1. A ludicrous question; 2 2. A sensible question; 3 3. A useless question; 4 4. primalhealthresearch.com versus NIH; 5 5. The driving force; 6 6. Bridges between scientific perspectives; 7 7. Meanwhile; 8 8. Homo Ludens from a primal health research perspective; 9 9. At the edge of the precipice; 10 10. The gaps between science and tradition; 11 11. In pain thou shalt bring forth children; 12 12. Will the symbiotic revolution take place?; 13 13. What is the sex of angels?; 14 Addendum
£10.79
Hay House UK Ltd Pure Human
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£13.59
Vintage Publishing The Origin of Species: (Patterns of Life)
Book SynopsisDiscover this beautiful special edition of Charles Darwin’s groundbreaking theory on human evolution. When the eminent naturalist Charles Darwin returned from South America on board the HMS Beagle in 1836, he brought with him the notes and evidence that would form the basis of a world-changing theory: the evolution of species by a process of natural selection. This theory, published as On the Origin of Species in 1859, is the basis of modern biology and the concept of biodiversity. Its publication sparked a fierce scientific, religious and philosophical debate, which continues to this day.PATTERNS OF LIFE: SPECIAL EDITIONS OF GROUNDBREAKING SCIENCE BOOKSTrade ReviewWhy does Darwin's theory matter now? Because it is the basis of modern biology and much medical research; it provides a tool with which to understand the natural world; it offers a deeper, if imperfect, understanding of our behaviour, about where we came from and where we might be going * Observer *The single best idea anybody ever had -- Daniel Dennet, philosopherThe most important book ever written * New Scientist *No other book has so transformed how we look at the natural world and mankind's origins * Sunday Telegraph *There are few books that I read more than once but The Origin Of Species by Charles Darwin is one -- David Attenborough
£11.69
Oneworld Publications Life Finds a Way: What Evolution Teaches Us About
Book SynopsisHow can new insights into evolution help us solve problems in life, art, business and science? ‘A wonderful, mind-expanding book. Prepare to be surprised, enlightened and awed.’ Alice Roberts, author of Ancestors In Darwin’s survival of the fittest, each step must be uphill as life progresses towards an evolutionary peak. There is no turning back. So what happens when life needs to cross a valley in the wilds of an adaptive landscape to reach the highest summit? World-renowned biologist Andreas Wagner reveals that life does not only walk – it also leaps. Drawing on pioneering research, Wagner explores life’s creative process and how it bears a striking resemblance to how we humans work. A beguiling symmetry links Picasso struggling through forty versions of Guernica and the way evolution transformed a dinosaur’s claw into a condor’s wing. This new understanding is already revolutionising our approach to problem-solving across the sciences. In the near future, applied in spheres as diverse as the economy and education, it will enable us to do so much more. Life Finds a Way is a thought-provoking and deeply hopeful look at the force that shapes our world.Trade Review‘An impressively brisk intellectual tour through the glory days of early 20th century evolutionary biology.’ * Wall Street Journal *‘Wagner has done it again. This is a wonderful, mind-expanding book. Prepare to be surprised, enlightened and awed as Wagner reveals the sources of human and natural creativity.’ -- Alice Roberts, Professor of Public Engagement with Science, University of Birmingham‘In this remarkably wide-ranging book, Andreas Wagner shows what nature can teach us about creativity, and his answers hold an important message for the way we educate our children and run our institutions and societies.’ -- Philip Ball, author of Beyond Weird‘Andreas Wagner has again cut through to the heart of a vital question. The notion that genomes are set up to explore, through trial and error, in the hope of leaping across the adaptive landscape to new peaks is a fresh concept. Wagner draws out fascinating parallels with the way innovation works in human society.’ -- Matt Ridley, author of The Evolution of Everything‘Finding surprising convergences between evolving species and an active imagination, Wagner persuasively argues that human inventiveness is a reflection not just of human nature but of nature itself.’ -- Anthony Brandt, composer and co-author of The Runaway Species‘Life Finds a Way weaves a coherent and compelling narrative about how nature achieves creativity. Not only that, we also learn how to cultivate creativity in our own lives.’ -- George Dyson, author of Turing’s Cathedral
£10.44
Profile Books Ltd Sensational: A New Story of our Senses
Book Synopsis'A future classic of popular science' Mail on Sunday 'A dazzling account' Financial Times 'Absorbing, surprising and at times profound. After reading this, reality will never be quite the same' Dave Goulson Our senses are how we navigate the world: they help us recognise the expressions on a loved one's face, know whether fruit is ripe by its smell, or even sense a storm approaching through a sudden drop in air pressure. It's now believed that we may have as many as fifty-three senses - and we're just beginning to expand our knowledge of this incredibly extensive palette. Sensational is a mind-bending look at how our brains shape our experience of the world, marshalling the latest discoveries in science to explore the dazzling eyesight of the mantis shrimp, the rich inner lives of krill, and the baffling link between geomagnetic fields and canine bowel movements. Blending biology and neuroscience, Ward reveals that understanding our senses may hold the key to understanding the origins of human behaviour - from why we kiss to our varied music tastes.Trade Review[An] infectiously enthusiastic survey of the human senses ... underneath the entertainment this is a serious and thoughtful book -- James McConnachie * Sunday Times *A rollercoaster combination of science, cultural history, rumour and schoolboy humour * Guardian *Combining biological science with history, culture, sociology and personal reflections, this is a wide-ranging and highly engaging read * Observer *Enlightening and digestible ... Sensational is not only a rich mine of information, it teaches tolerance and understanding ... Listening to his book is a delight * The Times *Ward has conjured up a thrilling - and revolting - world of sensory overload in the style of a goofy lecture. Both learned and irreverent, he can be existentially disturbing and extremely funny in the same paragraph - a talent that could make this a future classic of popular science * Mail on Sunday *A dazzling account of how we use sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell to navigate the world * Financial Times *Ward is more than qualified as our tour guide into the dazzling world of senses - both our own and those of other animals ... an impressive journey -- BBC WildlifeEnjoyable popular science * Kirkus *[An] eye-opening pop-science treatise ... [Ward] packs in innumerable fascinating details ... the delivery benefits greatly from the author's stylish, evocative prose ... this will change how readers see the world * Publisher's Weekly *Absorbing, surprising and at times profound. After reading this, reality will never be quite the same -- Prof Dave Goulson, author * Silent Earth *It is nearly impossible to grasp what other animals smell, see, or feel. Ashley Ward's dive into the way we and other species interpret the surrounding world offers astonishing insights -- Frans de Waal, author * Different: Gender Through The Eyes of a Primatologist *
£10.44
HarperCollins Publishers Nature via Nurture: Genes, experience and what
Book SynopsisAcclaimed author Matt Ridley's thrilling follow-up to his bestseller Genome. Armed with the extraordinary new discoveries about our genes, Ridley turns his attention to the nature versus nurture debate to bring the first popular account of the roots of human behaviour. What makes us who we are? In February 2001 it was announced that the genome contains not 100,000 genes as originally expected but only 30,000. This startling revision led some scientists to conclude that there are simply not enough human genes to account for all the different ways people behave: we must be made by nurture, not nature. Matt Ridley argues that the emerging truth is far more interesting than this myth. Nurture depends on genes, too, and genes need nurture. Genes not only predetermine the broad structure of the brain; they also absorb formative experiences, react to social cues and even run memory. They are consequences as well as causes of the will. Published fifty years after the discovery of the double helix of DNA, Nature via Nurture chronicles a new revolution in our understanding of genes. Ridley recounts the hundred years' war between the partisans of nature and nurture to explain how this paradoxical creature, the human being, can be simultaneously free-willed and motivated by instinct and culture. Nature via Nurture is an enthralling, up-to-the-minute account of how genes build brains to absorb experience.Trade Review‘This clever and ambitious book is full of novel insights and reflections.’ James Le Fanu, Sunday Telegraph ‘Ridley belongs to the coterie that truly pushes science forward and brings it within the broader purlieus of “culture”. Nature via Nurture is another fine contribution to an already outstanding oeuvre.’ Colin Tudge, Independent Magazine ‘An unrivalled view of cutting-edge research into the roots of human behaviour.’ Clive Cookson, Financial Times ‘A balanced, entertaining gallop through the world of environmental influences and genetic impulses.’ Robin McKie, Observer ‘Eminently readable.’ Dylan Evans, Evening Standard ‘Profoundly intelligent and persuasive.’ John Cornwell, Sunday Times
£11.69
Canongate Books SuperCooperators
Book SynopsisBeyond The Survival of the Fittest: Why Cooperation, not Competition, is the Key to LifeIf life is about survival of the fittest, then why would we risk our own life to jump into a river to save a stranger? Some people argue that issues such as charity, fairness, forgiveness and cooperation are evolutionary loose ends, side issues that are of little consequence. But as Harvard's celebrated evolutionary biologist Martin Nowak explains in this groundbreaking and controversial book, cooperation is central to the four-billion-year-old puzzle of life. Indeed, it is cooperation not competition that is the defining human trait.Trade ReviewGroundbreaking . . . SuperCooperators is part autobiography, part textbook, and reads like a best-selling novel. -- Manfred Milinski * * Nature * *A fantastic journey into the science of cooperation, with important implications for both individuals and society alike. -- Richard Wiseman, bestselling author of 59 SECONDSSupercooperators looks beyond The Selfish Gene and invites us to think afresh about evolution. Contrary to the simplistic idea that selfishness is the only strategy for survival, the brilliant Martin Nowak proves that cooperation is also vitally important. This rich and rewarding book teems with new ideas and insights, which co-author Roger Highfield makes wonderfully lucid and entertaining. -- Graham Farmelo, winner of the Costa Biography AwardMartin has a passion for taking informal ideas that people like me find theoretically important and framing them as mathematical models. He allows our intuitions about what leads to what to be put to the test. -- Steven Pinker * * The New York Times * *An absorbing, accessible book about the power of mathematics... Nowak is one of the most exciting modelers working in the field of mathematical biology today. * * New York Times Book Review * *In a sea of bad books about psychology, behaviour and business, Supercooperators stands out for its robust scientific base and cheerful message. * * Financial Times * *
£13.49
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Darwin Devolves The New Science About DNA That
Book SynopsisThe scientist who has been dubbed the “Father of Intelligent Design” and author of the groundbreaking book Darwin’s Black Box contends that recent scientific discoveries further disprove Darwinism and strengthen the case for an intelligent creator. In his controversial bestseller Darwin’s Black Box, biochemist Michael Behe challenged Darwin’s theory of evolution, arguing that science itself has proven that intelligent design is a better explanation for the origin of life. In Darwin Devolves, Behe advances his argument, presenting new research that offers a startling reconsideration of how Darwin’s mechanism works, weakening the theory’s validity even more. A system of natural selection acting on random mutation, evolution can help make something look and act differently. But evolution never creates something organically. Behe contends that Darwinism actually works by a process of devolution—d
£17.09
Princeton University Press Galápagos
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Nature lovers and eco-travellers alike will be drawn in to descriptions of this spectacular environment.."---Lorraine Connolly and Hadiyah Ilyas, The Countryman"[Galápagos] builds on what was already out there and makes it better. . . . It is a thorough and timely treatise on the flora, fauna and ecosystems of this archipelago."---Geoff Carpentier, North Durham Nature Newsletter
£29.75
Princeton University Press Seven Decades
Book Synopsis
£27.00
HarperCollins Publishers The Age of Cats From the Savannah to Your Sofa
Book SynopsisThe past, present and future of the world''s most popular and beloved pet, from a leading evolutionary biologist and great cat lover.Engaging and wide-ranging The Age of Cats is a readable and informed exploration of the wildcat that lurks within Fluffy' Washington PostWhy don't lions meow? Why does my cat leave a dead mouse at my feet? And why is a pet ocelot a bad idea?Jonathan B. Losos unravels the secrets of the cat using all the tools of modern technology, from GPS tracking (you'll be amazed where they roam) and genomics (what is your so-called Siamese cat, really?) to forensic archaeology. He tells the story of the cat's domestication (if you can call it that) and gives us a cat''s-eye view of the world today. Along the way we also meet their wild cousins, whose behaviours are eerily similar to even the sweetest of house cats.Drawing on his own research and life in his multi-cat household, Losos deciphers complex science and history and explores how selection, both natural and aTrade Review‘Excellent. Losos is an engaging and often funny guide who explains the science clearly and with nuance’ New Scientist ‘Losos is entertaining and anecdotal, learned and chatty … The book, surveying cats’ evolutionary history, behavioural habits and potential future, has a lovely cast list of felines wild and domestic, large and small’ Spectator ‘Cats are amazing. They fascinate and bewilder us … [The] cat stories detailed here will only heighten the reader's amazement. And Losos has done cats at least as proud as we imagine they pride themselves’ Science ‘A must-read’ Marc Bekoff, Psychology Today ‘Reaching back into the evolutionary history of the cat family, brought right up to date with the emergence of new breeds and hybrids, this fascinating book deserves to be on every cat-lover's nightstand’ John Bradshaw, author of Cat Sense: How the New Feline Science Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet ‘If you have ever lived with a feline long enough to reach an accommodation, you’ve probably asked yourself: Am I training the cat, or is the cat training me? That question is a gateway to the labyrinth of fascinating riddles explored by Jonathan Losos – himself a lifelong ailurophile as well as an eminent evolutionary biologist – In this engaging and very smart book.’ David Quammen, author of Spillover and The Song of the Dodo ‘Fascinating, fun and full of facts, this thorough investigation will appeal to general readers and cat lovers alike’ Booklist ‘Not just another cat book, this enthusiastic study traces the evolution of the domesticated house cat from the African wildcat and explores the scientific questions it raises … A vivid, well-rounded treat for anyone interested in cats.’ Kirkus Reviews ‘Splendid … The surprising trivia … and stimulating scientific background shed light on what goes on in the minds of humans’ second-best friend’ Publisher’s Weekly
£18.70
John Murray Press How Evolution Explains Everything About Life:
Book SynopsisHow did we get here? All cultures have a creation story, but a little over 150 years ago Charles Darwin introduced a revolutionary new one. We, and all living things, exist because of the action of evolution on the first simple life form and its descendants.We now know that it has taken 3.8 billions of years of work by the forces of evolution to turn what was once a lump of barren rock into the rich diversity of into plants, animals and microbes that surround us. In the process, evolution has created all manner of useful adaptions, from biological computers (brains) to a system to capture energy from the sun (photosynthesis). But how does evolution actually work? In Evolution, leading biologists and New Scientist take you on a journey of a lifetime, exploring the question of whether life is inevitable or a one-off fluke, and how it got kick-started. Does evolution have a purpose or direction? Are selfish genes really the driving force of evolution? And is evolution itself evolving?ABOUT THE SERIESNew Scientist Instant Expert books are definitive and accessible entry points to the most important subjects in science; subjects that challenge, attract debate, invite controversy and engage the most enquiring minds. Designed for curious readers who want to know how things work and why, the Instant Expert series explores the topics that really matter and their impact on individuals, society, and the planet, translating the scientific complexities around us into language that's open to everyone, and putting new ideas and discoveries into perspective and context.
£10.44
Johns Hopkins University Press The Secret Social Lives of Reptiles
Book SynopsisCovering diverse species from garter snakes to Komodo dragons, this book delves into the evolutionary origins and fascinating details of the mysterious social lives of reptiles. Reptiles have been too often dismissed as dull animals with tiny brains and simple, asocial lives. In reality, reptiles engage in a remarkable diversity of complex social behavior. They can live in families; communicate with one another while still in the egg; and hunt, feed, migrate, court, mate, nest, and hatch in groups. In The Secret Social Lives of Reptiles, J. Sean Doody, Vladimir Dinets, and Gordon M. Burghardtthree of the world's leading experts on reptilesbring together a wave of new research with a synthesis of classic studies to produce the only authoritative look at the social behaviors of the most provocative animals on the planet. The book covers turtles, lizards, snakes, crocodilians, and the enigmatic tuatara. Enhanced with dozens of images, it takes readers through a myriad of social interactTrade ReviewThe authors show that many ideas about reptile behavior are based more on folklore and bias than science. They review the research and present findings in highly readable accounts, demonstrating that reptiles interact with each other in surprising and intricate ways. The Secret Social Lives of Reptiles reveals, once again, that life on this planet is far more stunning than we can imagine.—Matthew Miller, Nature - Cool Green ScienceScience writing about family lives in turtles, snakes and crocodilians promises a much needed corrective to our assumptions about 'lowly' reptiles.—Times Literary SupplementThis is an excellent book on an underappreciated topic. The coverage is thorough and the insights are sharp, as is to be expected from a group of authors with tremendous expertise in the social behavior of diverse groups of reptiles.—Herpetological ReviewTable of ContentsForeword, by Gordon W. SchuettPrefaceAcknowledgmentsChapter 1. Social Behavior Research: Its History and a Role for ReptilesChapter 2. Reptile Evolution and BiologyChapter 3. Mating Systems, Social Structure, and Social OrganizationChapter 4. CommunicationChapter 5. Courtship and MatingChapter 6. Communal Egg-Laying: Habitat Saturation or Conspecific Attraction?Chapter 7. Parental CareChapter 8. Hatching and Emergence: A Perspective from the Underworld Chapter 9. Behavioral Development in Reptiles: Too Little Known but Not Too LateChapter 10. The Reach of Sociality: Feeding, Thermoregulation, Predator Avoidance, and Habitat ChoiceChapter 11. Looking toward the FutureReferencesIndex
£64.00
