Evolution / Evolutionary biology Books

Book Synopsis''A personal, fun and positive book encouraging dietary diversity and NOT calorie counting'' Professor Tim Spector, author of The Diet Myth and Spoon-Fed''Empowering'' Hello! magazineWhy stress causes weight gainHow fasting makes you less hungryWhy sunflower oil is unhealthyHow cold showers can cut your carb cravings''If I could give you one bit of advice right now, it would be to take all the energy you''re putting into fad diets and put it into becoming the most genuinely healthy version of you. If you''ve got a plan, you''re already halfway there. And now you''ve got this book, you''ve got one.''Davinia Taylor was overweight, depressed and unmotivated. She couldn''t walk around the block, let alone go for a run or do an exercise class, and she struggled to keep up with her four young sons. In desperation she turned to biohacking to sort her head out - the unexpTrade ReviewTaylor draws on her own journey to share top tips on how to improve your physical health and mental wellness in this empowering read * Hello! *

Read more less

Book SynopsisPlants first colonized the land over 430 million years ago, having evolved from some of the most primitive forms of life. Since then, plants have played a major role in supplying the atmospheric oxygen we all need to survive. But how did plants evolve, how has their distribution and diversity been affected by changes in climate over millions of years - and how can these processes be studied?The Evolution of Plants blends evidence from the fossil record and data from biomolecular studies to tell the story of plant evolution from the earliest forms of life to the present day. Focusing on the key events during the evolution of plants - from the colonization of land to the first forests, the emergence of seed plants to the evolution of flowering plants - its straightforward explanations and clear illustrations provide the reader with the most accessible introduction to plant evolution available.With stunning biome maps illustrating the global distribution of plants during the different periods of life on Earth, the book explains how the diversity of vegetation has changed in response to climate, reinforcing the close link between climate change and the process of biological evolution. It is a contemporary account of a dynamic field, which is perfect for any student looking for a broad, balanced introduction to the subject.Online ResourcesThe online resources to accompany The Evolution of Plants feature - figures from the book in electronic format, for use by registered adopters;- Journal Clubs, which encourage students to critically evaluate and engage with published research related to topics explored in the bookTrade ReviewReview from previous edition This is one of those rare books that one can honestly label 'outstanding' * Amazon *Table of Contents1. The evolutionary record and methods of reconstruction ; 2. Earliest forms of plant life ; 3. The colonization of land ; 4. The first forests ; 5. Major emergence of the seed plants ; 6. Flowering plant origins ; 7. The past 65 million years ; 8. Mass extinctions and persistent populations ; 9. Ancient DNA and the biomolecular record ; 10. Evolutionary theories and the plant fossil record

Read more less

Book SynopsisDarwin’s theory of natural selection was a monumental step in our understanding of evolution, explaining how useful adaptations are preserved over generations. However, Darwin’s great idea didn’t – and couldn’t – tell us how those adaptations arise in the first place. On its own, can random mutation really be responsible for all the creative marvels in nature? Renowned evolutionary biologist Andreas Wagner presents the missing piece of Darwin’s theory. Using cutting-edge experimental technologies, he has found that adaptations are driven by a set of laws which allow nature to discover new molecules and mechanisms in a fraction of the time that random variation would take. Meticulously researched, carefully argued, and full of fascinating examples from the animal kingdom, Arrival of the Fittest signals an end to the mystery of life’s rich diversity.Trade Review'Eminent evolutionary biologist Andreas Wagner fills in the parts of the puzzle even Darwin didn't understand.' * Mail on Sunday *‘Brilliantly polarises scientists’ research into the mystery of life itself’ * Financial Times, Readers' books of the year *‘A truly revolutionary book’ * Independent, best books of the year *‘Elegantly explores the cunning short cuts nature uses to achieve the seemingly impossible’ * Sunday Times, a best science book of the year *‘Wagner's book is an eye-opener. As a bonus, his writing is clear and elegant, with vivid analogies and concrete examples to illustrate his key points. You'll never think about evolution in the same way again’ * New Scientist *‘Arrival of the Fittest should be mandatory, corrective reading… mind-bending… tremendously exciting’ * BBC Focus *‘Quite astounding… The ideas are big, and the numbers hyper-astronomical, but Wagner has a gift for explaining the abstract… elegantly’ * THES *‘The author provides a detailed argument in support of the idea that evolutionary adaptations are not random as Darwin originally proposed, but instead, adaptations obey a set of laws that maximise discovery of new molecules and molecular pathways… I already expect I’ll see this book on next year’s Royal Society Winton Prize shortlist’ * Guardian Science blog *‘A book of startling congruencies, insightful flashes and an artful enthusiasm that delivers knowledge from the inorganic page to our organic brains.’ -- Kirkus‘Brand new scientific insights told in sparkling literary prose… a landmark book that combines original, perhaps revolutionary, ideas elegantly explained.’ -- Matt Ridley, author of Genome‘Arrival of the Fittest reveals the astonishing hidden structure of evolution, long overlooked by biologists, which makes Darwin’s grand idea viable after all. At the same time, it makes life seem even richer and more remarkable than you thought. Darwin would surely have loved this book; I think you will too.’ -- Philip Ball, author of The Music Instinct and Critical Mass‘Andreas Wagner is one of those rare scientists with the courage and intellect to see the real nature of evolution.’ -- Frank Vertosick, author of When the Air Hits Your Brain‘Wagner’s engaging and delightful book will open your eyes to the mysteries of innovation. His insights will entertain and astonish you, and they will also change the way you think.’ -- Daniel E. Lieberman, Edwin M Lerner II Professor of Biological Sciences, Harvard University‘If there is one subject even more controversial than the evolution of intelligence, it is the intelligence of evolution. Andreas Wagner presents a compelling, authoritative, and up-to-date case for bottom-up intelligence in biological evolution, and it sticks.’ -- George Dyson, author of Turing's Cathedral‘A radical departure from the mainstream perspective on Darwinian evolution. Andreas Wagner cuts to the core of innovation in living systems. Fundamental. Entertaining. Brilliant.’ -- Dr Rolf Dobelli, author of the bestseller The Art of Thinking Clearly

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"A Birdwatcher's Yearbook Best Bird Book of the Year""Terrific. . . . Futuyma writes an accessible overview of bird evolution that lay readers, especially birders, will be able to understand." * BirdWatching *"[Futuyma] skillfully weaves together salient themes of evolutionary biology from the living aviary, stressing the important role that birds played in advancing our understanding of evolution."---Alan Feduccia, Science"This engaging and wide-ranging summary of virtually every aspect of avian evolution synthesizes the earliest insights from Darwin to those of modern phylogenetics, using birds to illustrate each concept. ... [Futuyma] may be the ideal person to explain the marvels of bird evolution."---Daniel S. Cooper, The Quarterly Review of Biology"How Birds Evolve is accessible, exhilarating science for everyone – amateur birder, professional naturalist or just the average man. It’s a great book and one to read over and over and I thoroughly recommend it to all. This is already my Bird Book of 2022 and I can't see it being bettered."---Phil Slade, Another Bird Blog"How Birds Evolve is a book full of accessible and exhilarating science for everyone and not just birders and professional naturalists. It’s simply a stunning book and one to read numerous times and an example of the amalgamation of science and nature writing at its finest and I thoroughly recommend it to everyone."---Roy Stewart, British Naturalists Association"The delight is in the detail. . . . Futuyma unpacks the story of evolutionary science alongside the story of how birds evolved. . . . [How Birds Evolve] is entertaining and passionate."---Simon Ings, New Scientist"[Futuyma’s] life-long passion and competence guide us across the pages of this book with a hint of humour."---Gaia Bazz, Community Ecology ​​​​​​​

Read more less

Book SynopsisWe are marching towards a future in which three-quarters of humans live in cities, more than half of the landmass of the planet is urbanized, and the rest is covered by farms,pasture, and plantations. Increasingly, as we become ever more city-centric, species and ecosystems crafted by millions of years of evolution teeter on the brink of extinction - or have already disappeared.A growing band of 'urban ecologists' is beginning to realize that natural selection is not so easily stopped. They are finding that more and more plants and animals are adopting new ways of living in the seemingly hostile environments of asphalt and steel that we humans have created. Carrion crows in the Japanese city of Sendai, for example, have learned to use passing traffic to crack nuts for them; otters and bobcats, no longer persecuted by humans, are waiting at the New York City gates; superb fairy-wrens in Australia have evolved different mating structures for nesting in strips of vegetation along roads; while distinct populations of London underground mosquitoes have been fashioned by the varied tube line environments.Menno Schilthuizen shows us that evolution can happen far more rapidly than Darwin had dared dream.Trade ReviewInvigorating and beautifully written. - BBC WildlifeMy eyes and ears have been opened to the emerging science of urban ecology by Menno Schilthuizen - Financial TimesDelightful and charmingly written - Daily TelegraphSpellbinding and important - Sunday Times

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat makes a mammal a mammal? The answer is more complicated than you think!I, Mammal is a history of mammals and their ancestors and of how science came to grasp mammalian evolution. After a misdirected football left new father Liam Drew clutching a uniquely mammalian part of his anatomy, he decided to find out more. Considering himself as a mammal first and a human second, Liam delves into ancient biological history to understand what it means to be mammalian.In his humorous and engaging style, Liam explores the different characteristics that distinguish mammals from other types of animals. He charts the evolution of milk, warm blood and burgeoning brains, and examines the emergence of sophisticated teeth, exquisite ears, and elaborate reproductive biology, plus a host of other mammalian innovations. Entwined are tales of zoological peculiarities and reflections on how being a mammal has shaped the author''s life. In celebrating our mammalian-Trade ReviewA splendid evolutionary study ... Drew is a wry guide to wonders such as the evolution of the scrotum and the epic journey of marsupial newborns. -- NatureAn excellent combination of scientific principle and comedic wit that will appeal to biology fans and non-scientists alike. An excellent read. * How It Works *A witty romp through evolution ... I, Mammal is just the sort of book that can spark a love of nature and an appreciation for the ever-changing, eternally correcting march of science. * Science *Quotable, heartfelt and frequently fun. * The Biologist *Drew's immersion makes one proud to be a mammal. * Booklist *Drew vividly conveys the excitement of scientific discovery [and] combines detailed technical information with interesting natural-history tidbits. There's much to be savoured by scientists and nonscientists alike. * Publishers Weekly *From ice-sliding bison and tail-biting platypuses to cats and bats, hedgehogs and hooded seals, I, Mammal will change the way you think about hairy, milk-making, warm-blooded animals (yourself included). This carnival of mammals is science writing at its most funny, companionable and smart. -- Helen Scales, marine biologist, broadcaster and author of Spirals in TimeNot only fun and instructive but also wonderfully written, I, Mammal takes us on an erudite journey through mammalian evolution. Liam Drew effortlessly weaves science together with all manner of often very funny anecdotes. Reading it will be a pleasure for scientists and non-specialists alike. -- René Hen, Professor of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, Columbia UniversityTable of ContentsIntroduction: My Family and Other Mammals Chapter 1 : The Descent of Man(’s Gonads) Chapter 2 : Life on the Edge of Mammaldom Chapter 3 : Y, I’m Male Chapter 4 : The Mammalian Birds and Bees Chapter 5 : The Next Generation Chapter 6 : Afterbirth Before Birth Chapter 7 : The Milky Way Chapter 8 : Kids, Behave! Chapter 9 : Bones, Teeth, Genes and Trees Chapter 10 : It’s Getting Hot in Here, Put Your Coat On Chapter 11 : Scents and Sensibility Chapter 12 : A Multilayered Brain Teaser Chapter 13 : This Mammalian Life Afterword: Mammals Selected Reading Acknowledgement Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisA New York Times–bestselling astrophysicist and a Nobel laureate take us on 'a mesmerizing exploration' (Jennifer Doudna) to discover how and where the universe breathed itself into life  For a long time, scientists have wondered how life has emerged from inanimate chemistry, and whether Earth is the only place where it exists. Charles Darwin speculated about life on Earth beginning in a warm little pond. Some of his contemporaries believed that life existed on Mars. It once seemed inevitable that the truth would be known by now.    It is not. For more than a century, the origins and extent of life have remained shrouded in mystery. But, as Mario Livio and Jack Szostak reveal in Is Earth Exceptional?, the veil is finally lifting. The authors describe how life’s building blocks—from RNA to amino acids and cells—could have emerged from the chaos of Earth’s early existence. They then apply the knowle

Read more less

Book SynopsisHumans are the only mammals to walk on two, rather than four, legs. From an evolutionary perspective, this is an illogical development, as it slows us down. But here we are, suggesting there must have been something tremendous to gain from bipedalism.First Steps takes our ordinary, everyday walking experience and reveals how unusual and extraordinary it truly is. The seven-million-year-long journey through the origins of upright walking shows how it was in fact a gateway to many of the other attributes that make us humanfrom our technological skills and sociality to our thirst for exploration.DeSilva uses early human evolution to explain the instinct that propels a crawling infant to toddle onto two feet, differences between how men and women tend to walk, physical costs of upright walking, including hernias, varicose veins and backache, and the challenges of childbirth imposed by a bipedal pelvis. And he theorises that upright walking may have laid the foundation for the traits of comTrade Review‘A book that strides confidently across complex terrain, laying out what we know about how walking works, who started doing it and when … DeSilva is a genial companion on this stroll through the deep origins of walking … Illuminating’ New York Times ‘This is breezy popular science at its best, interweaving anecdotes from the field and lab with scientific findings and the occasional pop culture reference … compelling’ Science News ‘Before our ancestors thought symbolically, before they used fire, before they made stone tools, or even entered the open savanna, our ancestors walked upright. In one way or another, this odd locomotory style has underwritten the whole spectrum of our vaunted human uniquenesses, from our manual dexterity to our hairless bodies, and our large brains. In the modern world it even influences the way other people recognise us at a distance, and it is crucial to our individual viability. In this authoritative but charmingly discursive and accessible book, Jeremy DeSilva lucidly explains how and why.’ Ian Tattersall, author of Masters of the Planet and The Strange Case of the Rickety Cossack ‘Master anatomist and paleontologist Jeremy DeSilva makes no bones about the fact that when looking at fossils “I let myself be emotional …” Thus does this world expert and gifted story teller take us on a tour through the sprawling, complicated, saga of human origins. Drawing on his personal knowledge of topics ranging from sports medicine to childcare and his acquaintance with a host of colourful characters –whether lying inert in museum drawer, sitting behind microscopes or feuding with one other – DeSilva adds flesh and projects feelings onto the bones he studies, a tour de force of empathic understanding.’ Sarah Blaffer Hrdy, author of Mother Nature and Mothers and Others: The Evolutionary Origins of Mutual Understanding

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe discoveries of the last decade have brought about a completely revised understanding of human evolution due to the recent advances in genetics, palaeontology, ecology, archaeology, geography, and climate science. Written by two leading authorities in the fields of physical anthropology and molecular evolution, Processes in Human Evolution presents a reconsidered overview of hominid evolution, synthesising data and approaches from a range of inter-disciplinary fields. The authors pay particular attention to population migrations - since these are crucial in understanding the origin and dispersion of the different genera and species in each continent - and to the emergence of the lithic cultures and their impact on the evolution of cognitive capacities.Processes in Human Evolution is intended as a primary textbook for university courses on human evolution, and may also be used as supplementary reading in advanced undergraduate and graduate courses. It is also suitable for a more general audience seeking a readable but up-to-date and inclusive treatment of human origins and evolution.Table of Contents1: Evolution, Genetics, and Systematics 2: Taxonomy 3: The Origin of Hominins 4: Miocene and Early Pliocene Hominins 5: Middle and Upper Pliocene Hominins 6: The Emergence of the Genus Homo 7: Lithic Traditions: Tool Making 8: Middle and Lower Pleistocene: The Homo Radiation 9: Hominin Transition to Late Pliocene 10: Species of the Late Pleistocene 11: Neandertals and Modern Humans: Similarities and Differences

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe study of human evolution is advancing rapidly. Newly discovered fossil evidence is adding ever more pieces to the puzzle of our past, whilst revolutionary technological advances in the study of ancient DNA are completely reshaping theories of early human populations and migrations.In this Very Short Introduction Bernard Wood traces the history of paleoanthropology from its beginnings in the eighteenth century to the very latest fossil finds. In this new edition he discusses how Ancient DNA studies have revolutionized how we view the recent (post-550 ka) human evolution, and the process of speciation. The combination of ancient and modern human DNA has contributed to discoveries of new taxa, as well as the suggestion of ''ghost'' taxa whose fossil records still remain to be discovered. Considering the contributions of related sciences such as paleoclimatology, geochronology, systematics, genetics, and developmental biology, Wood explores our latest understandings of our own evolution.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 ReviewConcise but with wide coverage, this is your ideal pocket guide to human evolution. * Chris Stringer, Natural History Museum *This is a well written, concise survey of research on our origins. Bernard Wood writes with an authority that few in the discipline can approach. The text is accessible, and the coverage is comprehensive. * Professor Peter Ungar, University of Arkansas *Wood presents a concise but comprehensive treatment of our own evolutionary history. Any reader interested in the topic of human origins will greatly benefit from this work. * Professor Zeray Alemseged, University of Chicago *Table of Contents1: Introduction 2: Finding our place 3: Fossil hominins: their discovery and context 4: Fossil hominins: analysis and interpretation 5: Early hominins: possible and probable 6: Archaic and transitional hominins 7: Pre-modern Homo 8: Modern Homo Timeline of thought and science relevant to human origins and evolution Further reading Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisHumans are a striking anomaly in the natural world. While we are similar to other mammals in many ways, our behavior sets us apart. This book offers a radical interpretation of human evolution, arguing that our ecological dominance and our singular social systems stem from a psychology uniquely adapted to create complex culture.Trade Review"Not by Genes Alone is a valuable and very readable synthesis of a still embryonic but very important subject straddling the sciences and humanities." - E. O. Wilson, Harvard University "I continue to be surprised by the number of educated people (many of them biologists) who think that offering explanations for human behavior in terms of culture somehow disproves the suggestion that human behavior can be explained in Darwinian evolutionary terms. Fortunately, we now have a book to which they may be directed for enlightenment.... It is a book full of good sense and the kinds of intellectual rigor and clarity of writing that we have come to expect from the Boyd/Richerson stable." - Robin Dunbar, Nature"

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn exploration of how the Cryogenian Period, when our planet was covered in ice for millions of years, created today’s remarkable biodiversityTrade Review“A spellbinding read from one of the deepest thinkers about deep time. Part scientific autobiography, part paean to unsung heroes of the past, and part thrilling detective story, this book is the culmination of three decades of field research. Graham Shields pieces together an astonishing new answer to the oldest question: Where did we come from?”—Nick Lane, author of Vital Question: Energy, Evolution, and the Origins of Complex Life“Born of Ice and Fire is a fresh take on the mystery that most vexed Darwin: the seemingly sudden appearance of animal life in Cambrian strata. Graham Shields explores Earth’s evolving biogeochemical system and the extreme ice age that ushered in a brave new oxygen-rich world.”—Marcia Bjornerud, author of Timefulness: How Thinking Like a Geologist Can Help Save the World“Born of Ice and Fire is engagingly and fluently written and is an authoritative, detailed overview of a highly complex and interdisciplinary subject.”—Rachel Wood, author of Reef Evolution“Graham Shields takes us on a worldwide tour, presenting the latest geological evidence about the Precambrian period and investigating how stark physical conditions like a lack of oxygen and a world covered in ice established the first life on Earth.”—Michael J. Benton, author of Dinosaurs Rediscovered and When Life Nearly Died: The Greatest Mass Extinction of All Time

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis, the most interesting and helpful edition of Charles Darwin's major work, is now available in an inexpensive paperback edition. It is written with a clarity, forcefulness, and conciseness not found in any subsequent revision. For modern reading and for reference, it is the standard edition.Trade ReviewIt was a very happy idea to publish a facsimile of the first edition of On the Origin of Species; the price of copies of the original edition has reached the thousand dollar bracket, and in contemporary literature all page-references are to the original pagination, which was not followed in previous reprints of the first edition. Now, with this very reasonably priced and beautifully produced book, not only historians of science but also biologists will have the opportunity of following the fascinating thought-trails, still far from fully explored, of that remarkable man Darwin. Few if any persons are so well qualified as Harvard's Ernst Mayr to execute so helpfully and gracefully the delicate task of writing a worthy foreword to such a classic. -- Sir Gavin de Beer * Science *The Origin is one of the most important books ever published, and a knowledge of it should be a part of the intellectual equipment of every educated person… The book will endure in future ages so long as a knowledge of science persists in mankind. It remains to be said that the edition here reviewed is very worthily produced and contains a little-known picture of Darwin. -- W. L. Sumner * Nature *This is a most valuable publication. In addition to the text of the first edition (1859) of the Origin with all the freshness and directness of the original, now here made available in facsimile, Professor Ernst Mayr of Harvard, a most distinguished writer in this field, has prefaced this reprint with an introduction that is in itself a classic. * Times Literary Supplement *Table of ContentsIntroduction by Ernest Mayr On the Origin of Species Bibliography Subject Index Diagram of Divergence

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Longlisted for the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award, PEN America""One of Waterstones' Books of the Year 2020: Popular Science""Longlisted for the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books for Young Adults""The role of happenstance in determining the fate of the world may seem a matter for philosophy more than science, but Carroll, a biologist, shows how central the idea is to everyday existence." * New York Times Book Review *"With conversational wit, Carroll encourages us to embrace the randomness of the world."---Scott Hershberger, Scientific American"The Yucatan asteroid is an epic example of the sheer randomness which, as Sean B. Carroll argues in this short but thought-provoking book, rules both the universe and our own lives."---Nick Rennison, Daily Mail"Carroll takes readers on an entertaining tour of biological discovery that emphasizes the dominant role played by chance in shaping the conditions for life on Earth. Along the way, he provides insights and humor that make the book a quick, lively read that both educates and entertains. . . . Books such as this remind us to make our unlikely time here count."---Ivor Knight, Science"Carroll’s work renders hefty topics accessible, exploring the perfect storm of events responsible for evolution, the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs and every living person’s conception."---Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine"It is to biologist Sean B. Carroll’s credit that he’s found a way of taking a puzzle that could easily fill volumes (and probably has filled volumes), and presenting it to us in a slim, non-technical, and fun little book."---Dan Falk, Undark"A history book about humanity told with wit and style."---John Brandon, Forbes"A short, sweet, and scientifically solid view of life." * Kirkus, starred review *"I couldn’t put it down. If you’re at all interested in science, you’ll keep turning these pages."---Flora Taylor, American Scientist"If you enjoyed Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything, you'll like this breezy, equally amusing trip through time. . . . A stellar little book about science.""---Jenny Nicholls, Waiheke Weekender"In Carroll, three traits that are rare in themselves conjoin in an even rarer alignment: a command of multiple scientific fields, an unrivaled ability to clearly explain complex scientific concepts, and a deep instinct for storytelling. It is only fitting that such an unlikely combination produced A Series of Fortunate Events, since this discipline-spanning, highly engaging volume is all about the unlikely combinations that gave rise to all life, to the human species, and to each of us as unique individuals."---Barbara N. Horowitz, The Quarterly Review of Biology"Entertaining and informative, Carroll’s latest is a real eye-opener."---Nick Smith, Engineering & Technology"Golf games, coincidental immunity, and pandemics: A Series of Fortunate Events ranges from examining trivial events to sobering ones, but remains relevant throughout, revealing how chance affects everyday life."---Rebecca Foster, Foreword Reviews"Entertaining and informative, Carroll’s latest is a real eye-opener."---Dr Alyson Hitch, The Bay"This book lays bare how often unpredictable events have shaped our world; it educates, engages, and entertains."---R. M. Denome, Choice"A short and charming book that will give you a new appreciation of the vagaries of life and their influence."---Ian Simmons, Fortean Times"This is an accessible and fun book but be forewarned that it might leave you wanting more. Personally, I take that as a good sign."---Leon Vlieger, The Inquisitive Biologist

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewPraise for The Evolution of Charles Darwin:Named a Best Book of the Year by Kirkus Reviews (Nonfiction)“Fascinating . . . A beautifully told coming-of-age story focused on Darwin’s psychological transmutation from a diffident specimen collector expecting to become a country parson to a novice scientist climbing the career ladder in London’s private and prestigious clubs and societies . . . Offer[s] new and exciting ideas that will likely beat out the competition.”—Robert M. Thorson, Wall Street Journal “[Preston’s] books are always entertaining . . . This book fits that mould; it’s an adventure story . . . The author has chosen the perfect topic. It’s nearly impossible to write a dull book about Darwin . . . The real attraction of this book lies in the way it turns the development of evolutionary theory into a personal story.”—Gerald DeGroot, Times (UK) “[A] meticulously researched compelling narrative . . . Diana Preston’s vibrant reconstruction of Darwin’s extraordinary journey, world-changing work and the consequences he experienced makes it all accessible and new in her telling.”—Janet Somerville, Toronto Star“An exciting biography of the immortal naturalist’s legendary journey . . . It was well into the 20th century before essentially all scientists agreed that Darwin was on the right track. Since then, biographies have poured off the presses, but readers cannot go wrong with this expert account. An irresistible scientific biography and adventure story with a happy ending.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)“While much has been written about Darwin’s revolutionary scientific achievements on this journey, historian Preston sheds light on the voyage itself, its captain and crew, and the Native populations they encountered.”—Booklist (starred review)“A brisk and accessible account of how Charles Darwin developed his theory of natural selection . . . A rewarding look at the development of an earth-shattering idea.”—Publishers Weekly“Darwin was only 22 when he boarded the HMS Beagle in 1830 under the command of Robert FitzRoy as a ‘gentleman naturalist,’ unaware his name would one day grace an award honouring humans who remove themselves from the gene pool through misadventure. Drawing on the naturalist’s diaries, Preston’s biography reveals a man who, in his chauvinism and blind patriotism, was typical of his time—but in his liberal- and abolition-mindedness, atypical as well.”—Globe and MailPraise for Eight Days at Yalta:“A colorful chronicle of high-stakes negotiations and a study in human frailties, missteps, and ideological blunders.”—Washington Post“Ms. Preston’s conference narrative abjures authorial hindsight judgments, placing the spotlight instead on the characters’ natural blind spots and biases. She also devotes a full third of the book to the summit’s historical context and personalities, the latter of which are nicely developed.”—Wall Street Journal“A highly readable, highly detailed account of the historic meetings and often difficult and contentious negotiations between Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin, and their staffs, and a vivid description of the once ornate Tsarist palaces and their much deteriorated wartime condition that served as the setting for meetings, dinners, and private talks.”—New York Journal of Books“Lively and nuanced . . . Shrewd on the main personalities . . . Preston goes beyond the horse-trading of three old men, with vivid scene-setting of the tsarist palaces where the conference took place.”—Times (UK)“In this well-written and absorbing book, Diana Preston provides a chronological narrative of these crucial eight days.”—Airmail“On the Yalta conference’s 75th anniversary, this insightful history recounts its enormous, if teeth-gnashing, accomplishments . . . Impressively researched . . . An expert account of an unedifying milestone at the dawn of the Cold War.”—Kirkus Reviews“[A] spirited, behind-the-scenes account of the February 1945 Yalta Conference. Preston mixes foreign policy critique . . . with vibrant descriptions of backstage activities . . . Colorful personalities, piquant details, and a diverse array of perspectives make this a satisfying introduction to the subject.”—Publishers WeeklyPraise for Diana Preston:“A treasure map of a book.”—San Diego Union-Tribune, on A Pirate of Exquisite Mind“A superbly rendered popular history.”—Booklist (starred review), on A Pirate of Exquisite Mind“Unforgettable . . . The definitive account of the Lusitania.”—Philadelphia Inquirer, on Lusitania: An Epic Tragedy“As majestic as its subject . . . Extraordinarily readable.”—Chicago Sun-Times, on Lusitania: An Epic Tragedy“An engaging narrative . . . Rich in detail and texture.”—San Diego Union Tribune, on Before the Fallout: From Marie Curie to Hiroshima“Ultimately this book is about survival, and the author engagingly recounts the nearly impossible task of trying to establish a penal colony with few supplies and poor agricultural conditions. Preston shines in her description of the true nature of Captain Bligh . . . A wonderful look into the beginnings of Australia and the remarkable strength of the survivors of these dangerous voyages.”—Kirkus Reviews, on Paradise in Chains

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisNatural selection, as introduced by Charles Darwin in the Origin of Species (1859), has always been a topic of great conceptual and empirical interest. This book puts Darwin''s theory of evolution in historical context showing that, in important respects, his central mechanism of natural selection gives the clue to understanding the nature of organisms. Natural selection has important implications, not just for the understanding of life''s history single-celled organism to man but also for our understanding of contemporary social norms, as well as the nature of religious belief. The book is written in clear, non-technical language, appealing not just to philosophers, historians, and biologists, but also to general readers who find thinking about important issues both challenging and exciting.Trade Review'Michael Ruse has written many books on evolutionary theory, but this may well be his best: succinct, clear, and comprehensive. Your interpretation of Darwin's accomplishment may differ from Ruse's - mine does - but he offers the classic view of Darwin as having introduced mechanism into biology. His treatment of natural selection runs from an intense examination of Darwin's development of the concept to its role in population genetics and morality. It's a gem of a book.' Robert J. Richards, Morris Fishbein Distinguished Service Professor of the History of Science, University of Chicago, USA'Michael Ruse at his best! This consummate scholar, educator, and communicator on all things evolutionary has gifted us with a masterwork on Darwin's crowning achievement - the theory of natural selection. We now have the definitive 'sourcebook' on this important topic.' Michael L. Peterson, Professor of Philosophy, Asbury Theological Seminary, USA'For decades, Michael Ruse has been a leader in thinking about natural selection. This book is a quick, thorough survey of the subject. Plus, it offers some important recent twists. A masterful writer, Ruse quickly covers the basics before guiding readers outside traditional boxes so they might consider new possibilities. Understanding Natural Selection is certain to encourage debate and investigation. It also will inspire further interdisciplinary synthesis.' Joe Cain, Professor of History and Philosophy of Biology, University College London, UK'In this brief book written for the general reader, Michael Ruse skillfully weaves together the history and philosophy of science to explore natural selection, the concept at the heart of Darwin's celebrated theory of evolution. The writing is brisk, engaging, thoughtful and at times fun, typical of the kind of work we have come to expect from someone who has a devoted a lifetime of study to understanding Darwin and his theory.' Vassiliki Betty Smocovitis, Professor of the History of Science, University of Florida, USA'Natural selection is one of the most important and contested ideas in modern science, helping us understand much of the functional design and order we observe in living nature. In his inimitable way, Michael Ruse gives the definitive account of natural selection, from its Darwinian origins and metaphorical foundation to the many historical, philosophical and scientific controversies that have swirled about it in the last century and a half. If you want to understand natural selection, you can do no better than a careful reading of this compact, highly informative and lively book. It is truly a tour de force.' Richard A. Richards, Professor and Chair, Department of Philosophy, University of Alabama, USATable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. The origin of species; 2. Organism and mechanism: rival root metaphors; 3. 'The non-Darwinian revolution?'; 4. The synthesis; 5. Is natural selection a vera causa?; 6.The positive case; 7.Time for a change?; 8. Natural selection and its discontents; Envoi; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis Element argues that gossiping is the most powerful mechanism to sustain cooperation without formal intervention. Propositions on cultural, structural, dispositional, situational, and technological gossip antecedents and consequences are developed and illustrated with evidence from the empirical record.Table of ContentsA strange kind of indulgence; 1. The puzzle of sustainable cooperation; 2. The evolutionary origins of gossip, reputation and cooperation; 3. A goal framing perspective on gossip, reputation and cooperation; 4. Gossip: antecedents and consequences for reputation and cooperation; 5. Gossip and reputation in contemporary societies; 6. A research agenda for goal framing theory, gossip and reputation effects; References; Acknowledgements.

Read more less

Book SynopsisNow updated for its second edition, Population Genetics is the classic, accessible introduction to the concepts of population genetics.Table of ContentsPreface and acknowledgements xiv About the companion websites xvi 1 Thinking like a population geneticist 1 1.1 Expectations 1 Parameters and parameter estimates 2 Inductive and deductive reasoning 3 1.2 Theory and assumptions 4 1.3 Simulation 5 Interact box 1.1 The textbook website 6 Chapter 1 review 7 Further reading 7 2 Genotype frequencies 8 2.1 Mendel’s model of particulate genetics 8 2.2 Hardy–Weinberg expected genotype frequencies 12 Interact box 2.1 Genotype frequencies for one locus with two alleles 14 2.3 Why does Hardy–Weinberg work? 15 2.4 Applications of Hardy–Weinberg 18 Forensic DNA profiling 18 Problem box 2.1 The expected genotype frequency for a DNA profile 20 Testing Hardy–Weinberg expected genotype frequencies 20 Box 2.1 DNA profiling 21 Assuming Hardy–Weinberg to test alternative models of inheritance 24 Problem box 2.2 Proving allele frequencies are obtained from expected genotype frequencies 25 Problem box 2.3 Inheritance for corn kernel phenotypes 26 2.5 The fixation index and heterozygosity 26 Interact box 2.2 Assortative mating and genotype frequencies 27 Box 2.2 Protein locus or allozyme genotyping 30 2.6 Mating among relatives 31 Impacts of non-random mating on genotype and allele frequencies 31 Coancestry coefficient and autozygosit, 33 Box 2.3 Locating relatives using genetic genealogy methods 37 Phenotypic consequences of mating among relatives 38 The many meanings of inbreeding 41 2.7 Hardy–Weinberg for two loci 42 Gametic disequilibrium 42 Physical linkage 47 Natural selection 47 Interact box 2.3 Gametic disequilibrium under both recombination and natural selection 48 Mutation 48 Mixing of diverged populations 49 Mating system 49 Population size 50 Interact box 2.4 Estimating genotypic disequilibrium 51 Chapter 2 review 52 Further reading 52 End-of-chapter exercises 53 Problem box answers 54 3 Genetic drift and effective population size 57 3.1 The effects of sampling lead to genetic drift 57 Interact box 3.1 Genetic drift 62 3.2 Models of genetic drift 62 The binomial probability distribution 62 Problem box 3.1 Applying the binomial formula 64 Math box 3.1 Variance of a binomial variable 66 Markov chains 66 Interact box 3.2 Genetic drift simulated with a markov chain model 69 Problem box 3.2 Constructing a transition probability matrix 69 The diffusion approximation of genetic drift 70 3.3 Effective population size 76 Problem box 3.3 Estimating N e from information about N 81 3.4 Parallelism between Drift and mating among relatives 81 Interact box 3.3 Heterozygosity over time in a finite population 84 3.5 Estimating effective population size 85 Different types of effective population size 85 Interact box 3.4 Estimating N e from allele frequencies and heterozygosity over time 89 Breeding effective population size 90 Effective population sizes of different genomes 92 3.6 Gene genealogies and the coalescent model 92 Interact box 3.5 Sampling lineages in a Wright–Fisher population 94 Math box 3.2 Approximating the probability of a coalescent event with the exponential distribution 99 Interact box 3.6 Build your own coalescent genealogies 100 3.7 Effective population size in the coalescent model 103 Interact box 3.7 Simulating gene genealogies in populations with different effective sizes 103 Coalescent genealogies and population bottlenecks 105 Coalescent genealogies in growing and shrinking populations 106 Interact box 3.8 Coalescent genealogies in populations with changing size 107 3.8 Genetic drift and the coalescent with other models of life history 108 Chapter 3 review 110 Further reading 111 End of chapter exercises 111 Problem box answers 113 4 Population structure and gene flow 115 4.1 Genetic populations 115 Box 4.1 Are allele frequencies random or clumped in two dimensions? 121 4.2 Gene flow and its impact on allele frequencies in multiple subpopulations 122 Continent-island model 123 Two-island model 125 Interact box 4.1 Continent-island model of gene flow 125 Interact box 4.2 Two-island model of gene flow 126 4.3 Direct measures of gene flow 127 Problem box 4.1 Calculate the probability of a random haplotype match and the exclusion probability 133 Interact box 4.3 Average exclusion probability for a locus 134 4.4 Fixation indices to summarize the pattern of population subdivision 135 Problem box 4.2 Compute FIS, FST, and FIT 138 Estimating fixation indices 140 4.5 Population subdivision and the Wahlund effect 142 Interact box 4.4 Simulating the Wahlund effect 144 Problem box 4.3 Impact of population structure on a DNA-profile match probability 147 4.6 Evolutionary models that predict patterns of population structure 148 Infinite island model 148 Math box 4.1 The expected value of F ST in the infinite island model 150 Problem box 4.4 Expected levels of F ST for Y-chromosome and organelle loci 153 Interact box 4.5 Simulate FIS, FST, and FIT in the finite island model 154 Stepping-stone and metapopulation models 155 Isolation by distance and by landscape connectivity 156 Math box 4.2 Analysis of a circuit to predict gene flow across a landscape 159 4.7 Population assignment and clustering 160 Maximum likelihood assignment 161 Bayesian assignment 161 Interact box 4.6 Genotype assignment and clustering 162 Math box 4.3 Bayes Theorem 166 Empirical assignment methods 167 Interact box 4.7 Visualizing principle components analysis 167 4.8 The impact of population structure on genealogical branching 169 Combining coalescent and migration events 169 Interact box 4.8 Gene genealogies with migration between two demes 171 The average length of a genealogy with migration 172 Math box 4.4 Solving two equations with two unknowns for average coalescence times 175 Chapter 4 review 176 Further reading 177 End of chapter exercises 178 Problem box answers 180 5 Mutation 183 5.1 The source of all genetic variation 183 Estimating mutation rates 187 Evolution of mutation rates 189 5.2 The fate of a new mutation 191 Chance a mutation is lost due to mendelian segregation 191 Fate of a new mutation in a finite population 193 Interact box 5.1 Frequency of neutral mutations in a finite population 194 Mutations in expanding populations 195 Geometric model of mutations fixed by natural selection 196 Muller’s ratchet and the fixation of deleterious mutations 199 Interact box 5.2 Muller’s Ratchet 201 5.3 Mutation models 201 Mutation models for discrete alleles 201 Interact box 5.3 Rst and Fst as examples of the consequences of different mutation models 204 Mutation models for DNA sequences 205 Box 5.1 Single nucleotide polymorphisms 206 5.4 The influence of mutation on allele frequency and autozygosity 207 Math box 5.1 Equilibrium allele frequency with two-way mutation 209 Interact box 5.4 Simulating irreversible and two-way mutation 211 Interact box 5.5 Heterozygosity and homozygosity with two-way mutation 212 5.5 The coalescent model with mutation 213 Interact box 5.6 Build your own coalescent genealogies with mutation 215 Chapter 5 review 217 Further reading 218 End-of-chapter exercises 219 6 Fundamentals of natural selection 220 6.1 Natural selection 220 Natural selection with clonal reproduction 220 Problem box 6.1 Relative fitness of HIV genotypes 224 Natural selection with sexual reproduction 225 Math box 6.1 The change in allele frequency each generation under natural selection 229 6.2 General results for natural selection on a diallelic locus 230 Selection against a recessive phenotype 231 Selection against a dominant phenotype 232 General dominance 233 Heterozygote disadvantage 234 Heterozygote advantage 235 Math box 6.2 Equilibrium allele frequency with overdominance 236 The strength of natural selection 237 6.3 How natural selection works to increase average fitness 238 Average fitness and rate of change in allele frequency 238 Problem box 6.2 Mean fitness and change in allele frequency 240 Interact box 6.1 Natural selection on one locus with two alleles 240 The fundamental theorem of natural selection 241 6.4 Ramifications of the one locus, two allele model of natural selection 243 The Classical and Balance Hypotheses 243 How to explain levels of allozyme polymorphism, 245 Chapter 6 review 246 Further reading 247 End-of-chapter exercises 247 Problem box answers 248 7 Further models of natural selection 250 7.1 Viability selection with three alleles or two loci 250 Natural selection on one locus with three alleles 250 Problem box 7.1 Marginal fitness and Δp for the Hb C allele 253 Interact box 7.1 Natural selection on one locus with three or more alleles 254 Natural selection on two diallelic loci 254 7.2 Alternative models of natural selection 259 Natural selection via different levels of fecundity 260 Natural selection with frequency-dependent fitness 262 Math box 7.1 The change in allele frequency with frequency-dependent selection 263 Interact box 7.2 Frequency-dependent natural selection 263 Natural selection with density-dependent fitness 264 Interact box 7.3 Density-dependent natural selection 266 7.3 Combining natural selection with other processes 266 Natural selection and genetic drift acting simultaneously 266 Genetic differentiation among populations by natural selection 267 Interact box 7.4 The balance of natural selection and genetic drift at a diallelic locus 268 The balance between natural selection and mutation 271 Genetic load 272 Interact box 7.5 Natural selection and mutation 272 Math box 7.2 Mean fitness in a population at equilibrium for balancing selection 275 7.4 Natural selection in genealogical branching models 277 Directional selection and the ancestral selection graph 278 Problem box 7.2 Resolving possible selection events on an ancestral selection graph 281 Interact box 7.6 Build an ancestral selection graph 282 Genealogies and balancing selection 283 7.5 Shifting balance theory 284 Allele combinations and the fitness surface 284 Wright’s view of allele frequency distribution 286 Evolutionary scenarios imagined by wright 287 Critique and controversy over shifting balance 290 Chapter 7 review 292 Further reading 293 End-of-chapter exercises 293 Problem box answers 294 8 Molecular evolution 296 8.1 Neutral theory 296 Polymorphism 297 Divergence 299 Nearly neutral theory 301 Interact box 8.1 Compare the neutral theory and nearly neutral theory 302 The selectionist–neutralist debates 302 8.2 Natural selection 305 Hitch-hiking and rates of divergence 310 Empirical studies 310 8.3 Measures of divergence and polymorphism 313 Box 8.1 DNA sequencing 313 DNA divergence between specie, 314 DNA sequence divergence and saturation 315 Interact box 8.2 Compare nucleotide substitution models 316 DNA polymorphism measured by segregating sites and nucleotide diversity 319 Interact box 8.3 Estimating π and S from DNA sequence data 323 8.4 DNA sequence divergence and the molecular clock 324 Dating events with the molecular clock 325 Problem box 8.1 Estimating divergence times with the molecular clock 327 Interact box 8.4 Molecular clock estimates of evolutionary events 328 8.5 Testing the molecular clock hypothesis and explanations for rate variation in molecular evolution 329 The molecular clock and rate variation 329 Ancestral polymorphism and poisson process molecular clock 331 Math box 8.1 The dispersion index with ancestral polymorphism and divergence 333 Relative rate tests of the molecular clock 334 Patterns and causes of rate heterogeneity 336 8.6 Testing the neutral theory null model of DNA sequence polymorphism 339 HKA test of neutral theory expectations for DNA sequence evolution 340 The McDonald–Kreitman (MK) test 342 Mismatch distributions 343 Tajima’s D 346 Problem box 8.2 Computing Tajima’s D from DNA sequence data 348 8.7 Recombination in the genealogical branching model 350 Interact box 8.5 Build an ancestral recombination graph 353 Consequences of recombination 353 Chapter 8 review 354 Further reading 355 End-of-chapter exercises 356 Problem box answers 357 9 Quantitative trait variation and evolution 359 9.1 Quantitative traits 359 Problem box 9.1 Phenotypic distribution produced by Mendelian inheritance of three diallelic loci 361 Components of phenotypic variation 362 Components of genotypic variation (VG) 363 Inheritance of additive (VA), dominance (VD), and epistasis (VI) genotypic variation 367 Genotype-by-environment interaction (VG×E) 369 Additional sources of phenotypic variance 372 Math box 9.1 Summing two variances 372 9.2 Evolutionary change in quantitative traits 374 Heritability and the Breeder’s equation 374 Changes in quantitative trait mean and variance due to natural selection 376 Math box 9.2 Selection differential with truncation selection 376 Estimating heritability by parent–offspring regression 379 Interact box 9.1 Estimating heritability with parent-offspring regression 381 Response to selection on correlated traits 381 Interact box 9.2 Response to natural selection on two correlated traits 384 Long-term response to selection 384 Interact box 9.3 Response to selection and the number of loci that cause quantitative trait variation 387 Neutral evolution of quantitative traits 391 Interact box 9.4 Effective population size and genotypic variation in a neutral quantitative trait 392 9.3 Quantitative trait loci (QTL) 393 QTL mapping with single marker loci,394 Problem box 9.2 Compute the effect and dominance coefficient of a QTL 399 QTL mapping with multiple marker loci 400 Problem box 9.3 Derive the expected marker-class means for a backcross mating design 402 Limitations of QTL mapping studies 403 Genome-wide association studies 404 Biological significance of identifying QTL 405 Interact box 9.5 Effect sizes and response to selection at QTLs 407 Chapter 9 review 408 Further reading 409 End-of-chapter exercises 409 Problem box answers 410 10 The Mendelian basis of quantitative trait variation 413 10.1 The connection between particulate inheritance and quantitative trait variation 413 Scale of genotypic values 413 Problem box 10.1 Compute values on the genotypic scale of measurement for IGF1 in dogs 414 10.2 Mean genotypic value in a population 415 10.3 Average effect of an allele 416 Math box 10.1 The average effect of the A 1 allele 418 Problem box 10.2 Compute average effects for IGF1 in dogs 420 10.4 Breeding value and dominance deviation 420 Interact box 10.1 Average effects, breeding values, and dominance deviations 424 Dominance deviation 425 10.5 Components of total genotypic variance 428 Interact box 10.2 Components of total genotypic variance, V G 430 Math box 10.2 Deriving the total genotypic variance, V G 430 10.6 Genotypic resemblance between relatives 431 Chapter 10 review 433 Further reading 434 End-of-chapter exercises 434 Problem box answers 434 Appendix 436 Problem A.1 Estimating the variance 438 Interact box A.1 The central limit theorem 439 A.1 Covariance and Correlation 440 Further reading 442 Problem box answers 442 Bibliography 443 Index 468

Read more less

Book SynopsisTwo neuroscientists trace a sweeping new vision of consciousness across eighteen increasingly intelligent minds, from microbes to humankind and beyond

Read more less

Book SynopsisEvolution has, ever since its inception, been one of the most ideologically fraught fields in all of science. It has given birth to the myth about biological racial “types,” with distinct rankings of “genetic superiority”. Evolution has always been mistrusted by religious fundamentalists, contributing to a rise in creationist education that dovetails with the mass scientific illiteracy we see today. And today the coronavirus is mutating into ever more dangerous strands because huge swaths of the population have rejected the science that predicted this outcome if people remained unvaccinated. With so much fear and misunderstanding, it is crucial to set the record straight. Enter evolutionary biologist Joseph Graves. In A Voice in the Wilderness, he makes the case that widespread understanding of evolution is crucial to solving all these problems. Graves shows how the science of evolution can lead us to new paths of achieving social unity. He refutes common, pseudoscientific misconceptions that undergird racism, homophobia, sexism, classism, and more—all issues on which many perceive evolutionary biology to be a reactionary force. He shows how evolution can either make pandemics better, or—if its lessons are unheeded—worse. And he tackles the political and religious objections to the study of evolution as well. Graves' own experience powers much of the narrative. As a pioneering Black biologist, a leftist, and a Christian, Graves uses his personal story from a child of the Jim Crow south to a major researcher leader in his field to rewrite his field—and show how it can be a force not for reaction, but for justice. Provocative and timely, A Voice in the Wilderness is at once a powerful work of scientific antiracism and a moving history of a trailblazing life.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERRichard Dawkins - author of The Selfish Gene, The Blind Watchmaker, and The God Delusion - is one of science's greatest communicators. This anthology of more than forty pieces is a kaleidoscopic argument for the power and the glory of science. Breathtaking, brilliant and passionate, these essays, journalism, lectures and letters make an unanswerable case for the wonder of scientific discovery and its power to stir the imagination; for the practical necessity of scientific endeavour to society; and for the importance of the scientific way of thinking – particularly in today’s ‘post-truth’ world.With an introduction and new commentary by the author, subjects range from evolution and Darwinian natural selection to the role of scientist as prophet, whether science is itself a religion, the probability of alien life in other worlds, and the beauties, cruelties and oddities of earthly life in this one. Alongside the explications, the celebrations and the controversies are wonderfully funny ventures into satire and parody, and moving personal reflections in memory and honour of others.Science in the Soul is a sparkling showcase for Professor Dawkins' rapier wit, the clarity, precision and vigour he brings to an argument, the beauty of his prose, the depth of his feeling and his capacity for joy.Trade Review[Dawkins] is a thunderously gifted science writer -- Oliver Moody * The Times *One of the best non-fiction writers alive today * Steven Pinker *The illumination of Dawkins’ incisive thinking on the intellectual world extends far beyond biology. What a treat to see so clearly how matter and meaning fit together, from fiction to philosophy to molecular biology, all in one unified vision!’ Daniel C. Dennett * Daniel C. Dennett *In this golden age of enlightened science writing it is stunning that no scientist has ever won the Nobel Prize for Literature. Pulitzer Prizes, yes, but it is time literature's highest award be granted to a scientist whose writings have changed not just science but society. No living scientist is more deserving of such recognition than Richard Dawkins, whose every book reflects his literary genius and scientific substance. Science in the Soul is the perfect embodiment of Nobel quality literature." -- Michael Shermer, Publisher Skeptic magazine, columnist Scientific American, author The Moral Arc and Heavens on EarthI thank Thor and Zeus that in their infinite wisdom they chose to make the great wordsmith of our age a great rationalist and vice versa. -- Matt Ridley, author of The Rational Optimist and The Evolution of EverythingA writer of tremendous clarity and force...in full polemical flight, Dawkins is a marvel. -- Kevin Powers * Sunday Business Post *This Dawkins is a dangerous guy. Like Marx. Or Darwin. * W. Daniel Hillis *The most influential man of reason…intellectually rigorous to a fault. -- Oliver Thring * Sunday Times News Review *With his latest book, ‘Science in the Soul’, Richard Dawkins continues the legacy of Carl Sagan, though of course, in a more combative mode...Richard Dawkins is one of the best science popularisers of our times. He is also an eminent evolutionary biologist...All the articles in this compilation are ultimately soul-elevating in the sense that they emphasise the importance of reason and spirit of science in approaching many of the problems which we may think as being outside the realm of science or domains where inducing a hostility to a scientific approach is possible....Dawkins is an extraordinarily talented author and persuader ...Dawkins also comes across in this collection of essays as a warm rational scientist who is interestingly so open to the innocent human fascination for the grandeur of nature. -- Aravindan Neelakandan * Swarajya Magazine *Dawkins at his most delicious. These are some of the finest treasures of non-fiction you'll find anywhere * Derren Brown *Now, more than ever, public intellectual scientists like Dawkins are needed to counter the forces of faith, fiction, and farce dominating our so-called “post-fact” society.The Oxford University professor is the embodiment of the concept of the public intellectual -- Iain Ellis * www.popmatters.com *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor more than a century, we were restricted to studying evolution from the outside, observing its progress only through the fossil record. No longer. We can now also read the DNA record. As well as containing the operating instructions for everyday existence and for making the next generation, DNA contains a vast and detailed history of the three-billion-year development of life on Earth. It is a living chronicle of evolution, pinpointing the precise changes that have enabled Earth's marvelous creatures to inhabit the planet's shifting environments, from the freezing waters of the Antarctic to the lush canopy of the rainforest. Captivating and lucid, The Making of the Fittest delves deep into the DNA record to reveal not just how the fittest survive but also how they are made.Trade ReviewDazzling work, passionate and magisterial. Nothing of more lasting importance than the core narrative of this book will be published this year - Guardian * Guardian *Table of ContentsPreface Beyond Any Reasonable Doubt. Chapter 1 Introduction: The Bloodless Fish of Bouvet Island. Chapter 2 The Everyday Math of Evolution: Chance, Selection, and Time. Chapter 3 Immortal Genes: Running in Place for Eons. Chapter 4 Making the New from the Old. Chapter 5 Fossil Genes: Broken Pieces of Yesterday's Life. Chapter 6 Deja Vu: How and Why Evolution Repeats Itself. Chapter 7 Our Flesh and Blood: Arms Races, the Human Race, and Natural Selection. Chapter 8 The Making and Evolution of Complexity. Chapter 9 Seeing and Believing. Chapter 10 The Palm Trees of Wyoming. Sources and Further Reading. Acknowledgements. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhy did Darwin find tortoises so interesting? Are humans really descended from ancient apes? How did the peacock get its tail? What might life look like elsewhere in the universe? In this fascinating and highly-illustrated book, science writer Gerard Cheshire tells the story of evolution, and plots the various devices by which we have all become the organisms we are today. With sections on convergence, sexual selection, epigenetics, and full appendices showing the tree of life. WOODEN BOOKS are small but packed with information. "Fascinating" FINANCIAL TIMES. "Beautiful" LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS. "Rich and Artful" THE LANCET. "Genuinely mind-expanding" FORTEAN TIMES. "Excellent" NEW SCIENTIST. "Stunning" NEW YORK TIMES. Small books, big ideas.

Read more less

Book SynopsisRudolf Steiner's watercolour painting 'The Archetypal Human-Animal' presents us with the enigmatic image of a strange creature apparently swimming in water. It has a human profile, showing a clearly outlined nose and slightly-opened mouth, with a mysterious eye, almost concealed in its greenish hair. It has appendages similar to hands and feet, and dark-blue plant-like forms float about in the water beneath the creature's bright red and yellow body. Only the title provides us with a clue to its meaning: it is an 'archetypal human-animal' form. But even this is enigmatic. What is this strange, unusual creature - this archetypal human-animal? We are presented with a perplexing image and a puzzling description. In this original work, illustrated throughout with full-colour paintings and images - many by the author herself - Angela Lord takes us on a journey of discovery to realizing the meaning of Rudolf Steiner's painting. From Goethe's theory of metamorphosis in nature, we are introduced to Steiner's ideas of human evolution, from the primal beginnings of the archetypal human-animal on 'Ancient Moon'. Lord recounts myths and legends from many cultures that tell of human-animal forms, and reflects on the meaning of the fish in Christianity. She takes us through a series of 'colour sequences' for repainting Steiner's human-animal motif, and includes appendices that summarize evolutionary phases of the earth and humanity from a spiritual-scientific perspective. The Archetypal Human-Animal is both a valuable workbook for painters and a fascinating insight into hidden aspects of human evolution.Table of ContentsPrologue - PART ONE - Chapter One Goethe's Archetypal Animal - Chapter Two Goethe's Metamorphosis of Animals - PART TWO - Chapter One An Evolutionary Background - Chapter Two The Human Being on Ancient Moon: the primal beginnings of Archetypal Human-Animal - PART THREE - Chapter One The Human Being: Handiwork of the Gods - Chapter Two From Fire-Air to Air - PART FOUR - Chapter One The Animals: From the Cosmos Down to Earth - Chapter Two The Origin of the Animals - Chapter Three The Human-Animal Plant becomes Human - PART FIVE - Chapter One Myths and Legends: Monsters and Mermaids - Chapter Two A Cabinet of Curiosities - Chapter Three The Sphinx - PART SIX - Chapter One The Symbol of the Fish in Christianity - Chapter Two The Zodiac - Chapter Three The Evangelists - PART SEVEN - Chapter One The Colours of the Motif - Chapter Two An Approach to the Language of Colour - Appendix One Summary of Evolutionary Phases - Appendix Two Time Charts - List of Illustrations - References and Suggested Reading - Bibliography

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book is designed as an easy night's read and introduction to fossil soils and the relatively new disciplines of Paleopedology and Astropedology. It includes line art and color illustrations to visualize the topic for the informed layperson or interested colleagues. It provides comprehensive information on paleosols, which are soils of the past providing a variety of clues to the evolution of life and climate on Earth and deals with topics such as the evolution of grassland ecosystems, mass extinction of the Late Permian and origin of life, all viewed from the perspective of the fossil record of soils. This turns out to be a refreshing new perspective of wide interest.Trade Review“Soil Grown Tall, reviewed here, is a shorter summary intended for a wider audience. … Retallack’s book is well stuffed with insights and ideas, some quite startling. … The book shines with a sense of the beauty of landscape, which has served Retallack well. The book is full of well-chosen reminiscences, which lend life to the narrative. … The book is clearly written, well illustrated, and well produced.” (Egbert Giles Leigh, Evolution, Education & Outreach, Vol. 15 (1), 2022)Table of ContentsChapter 1. Rainbow rocks Chapter 2. Soil as a many splendored thing Chapter 3. Civilization built from soil Chapter 4. Humanity from global change Chapter 5. Grass that changed the world Chapter 6. Death from the sky Chapter 7. An occasion for flowers Chapter 8. Dinosaurs and dirt Chapter 9. World's greatest mid-life crisis Chapter 10. Roots of trees Chapter 11. Mighty millipedes Chapter 12. Lichens and till Chapter 13. When the rust set in Chapter 14. Soils in space Chapter 15. Living soil Chapter 16. The Proserpina Principle Further Reading Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis volume celebrates the contributions of Dr. Eugene Gaffney to the study of turtles, through a diverse and complementary collection of papers that showcases the latest research on one of the most intriguing groups of reptiles. A mix of focused and review papers deals with numerous aspects of the evolutionary history of turtles, including embryonic development, origins, early diversification, phylogenetic relationships, and biogeography. Moreover it includes reports on important but poorly understood fossil turtle assemblages, provides historical perspectives on turtle research, and documents disease and variation in turtles. With its broad scope, which includes descriptions of material and new taxa from Australia, Asia, and Europe, as well as North and South America, this work will be an essential resource for anyone interested in the morphology and evolution of turtles. “This volume’s breadth of time, geography, and taxonomic coverage makes it a major contribution to the field and a ‘must have’ for all vertebrate paleontologists.”, James F. Parham, California State University, CA, USA “A comprehensive and sweeping overview of turtle evolution by the top experts in the field that will interest everyone curious about these unique reptiles.” Jason S. Anderson, University of Calgary, Canada “An invaluable addition to the literature that covers the full spectrum of approaches toward understanding the evolution of these noble creatures.” Ann C. Burke, Wesleyan University, CT , USA “A truly comprehensive volume that both the student of fossil turtles, as well as the general reader interested in these enigmatic creatures, will find fascinating.” Tyler Lyson, Yale University, CT, USA​Trade ReviewFrom the reviews:“This book describes the latest research on fossil turtles and thus is a substantial addition to the field of vertebrate paleontology. … this work will be an essential resource for all global researchers interested in the morphology and evolution of reptiles, including the most intriguing of them, the turtles. … will be very useful to students, researchers, and scientists in the field of paleontology and biology.” (Rituparna Bose, Priscum, Vol. 21 (1), 2014)“This massive volume will be a landmark in the study of turtles. … This is a rich resource with many photographs and illustrations and information on the contributions of many earlier students of turtles. It is essentially a book for specialists in turtle anatomy and evolution, but some of the more broadly focused chapters will be of use to many professionals in paleontology and biology, and advanced students in those areas. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above.” (D. Bardack, Choice, Vol. 50 (6), February, 2013).Table of ContentsPart I. Perspectives on the Life and Accomplishments of Eugene S. Gaffney.- Part II. The Origin of Turtles.- Part III. The Early Diversification of Turtles.- Part IV. Pleurodire Diversity and Biogeography.- Part V. Diversity, Biogeography, and Paleobiology of Late Cretaceous and Tertiary Turtles.- Part VI. Pathologies, Anomalies, and Variation in Turtle Skeletons. ​

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhere did we come from? Where are we going?Homo sapiens is the most successful, the most widespread and the most influential species ever to walk the Earth. In the blink of an evolutionary eye we have spread around the globe, taken control of Earth's biological and mineral resources, transformed the environment, discovered the secrets of the universe and travelled into space.Yet just 7 million years ago, we were just another species of great ape making a quiet living in the forests of East Africa. We do not know exactly what this ancestor was like, but it was no more likely than a chimpanzee or gorilla to sail across the ocean, write a symphony, invent a steam engine or ponder the meaning of existence. How did we get from there to here?Human Origins recounts the most astonishing evolutionary tale ever told. Discover how our ancestors made the first tentative steps towards becoming human, how we lost our fur but gained language, fire and tools, how we strode out of Africa, invented farming and cities and ultimately created modern civilisation - perhaps the only one of its kind in the universe. Meet your long-lost ancestors, the other humans who once shared the planet with us, and learn where the story might end.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.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA fascinating account of Darwin's groundbreaking work on fossils, richly illustrated with special photography and accurate reconstructions.Trade Review'A deft, beautifully illustrated account.' Nature 'This thoroughly researched and well-written volume provides a comprehensive overview of Darwin's work with fossils of all kinds... with a very interesting chapter on Darwin's influential theory of coral reef formation, the subject of his first scientific monograph in 1842. The book is beautifully and abundantly illustrated, including dozens of colour photographs of many of Darwin's specimens some still affixed with the renowned English naturalist's original field numbers. There is also an assortment of useful maps and sidebars explaining various geological phenomena, including geological time, plate tectonics, and extinction, among others. The volume seems to be intended for general readers, yet it also has much to offer to professional palaeobiologists or historians of science.' Quarterly Review of Biology 'This is an absolutely gorgeous book. Highly recommended... Every double-page spread contains at least one wonderful illustration, many of which were specially commissioned for the book.' Friends of Darwin 'This is a must-read for those interested in fossils, nature, and evolution' Argentinian Association of Paleontology

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisEvery fossil tells a story. Best-selling paleontology author Donald R. Prothero describes twenty-five famous fossils in a gripping scientific history. Recounting the adventures behind the discovery of these objects and interpreting their significance within the larger fossil record, Prothero creates a riveting history of life on our planet.Trade ReviewDonald R. Prothero is one of the most talented science writers of his generation-as a paleontological writer, he has no peer. This is an engaging, attractive book! -- David J. Bottjer, University of Southern California There is no other book that brings together such diverse fossils and tells their unique stories in a way that is both accurate and approachable. -- Xiaoming Wang, curator of vertebrate paleontology at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County The Story of Life in 25 Fossils shows the reader the joys of paleontological discovery as well as the stories behind some of the most important fossils. I loved reading it, and I suspect that most paleontologists, and many members of the general public, will feel the same way-the text is lucid, extremely easy to read, and highly informative. Anyone interested in ancient life-forms and the fossil record would be well served to buy this book. -- Bruce S. Lieberman, University of Kansas Prothero, an outstanding paleontologist and skilled communicator, has written the best up-to-date account of the history of life as revealed by the fossil record that I have ever had the pleasure to read. His lucid prose brings these long-dead organisms back to life, while painting a picture of how all life has been interconnected through evolution. I was especially struck by the inclusion of field outcrops, as well as museums, where one can go to see these fossils. I will keep Prothero's book handy as a core reference for years to come! -- Niles Eldredge, author of Eternal Ephemera: Adaptation and the Origin of Species from the Nineteenth Century Through Punctuated Equilibria and Beyond A guide to museums where the original fossils or high-quality reproductions are housed and more than 150 illustrations accompany Prothero's lively account of the science and politics that shaped the rich history of these discoveries. Kirkus Reviews Engaging and accessible... Ideal for anyone interested in the origins of life on earth. Library Journal (starred review) An accessible, well-done book that will better enable general readers to understand the fossil record and how paleontologists interpret it. Publishers Weekly Prothero's careful description of 25 fossils... offer[s] an overview of the progression of plants and animals in the last 3.5 billion years. -- Ashley Yeager Sciece News [Prothero] pays attention not just to the fossils themselves but to the continuing quest to uncover and understand how life has been changing since it first came into existence on Earth. Sure, The Story of Life in 25 Fossils includes snakes with legs, giant dinosaurs, walking whales and extinct primates whose existence confirms that our own species is a variety of modified ape. But most chapters also introduce us to the researchers who labored to pull back the curtain on lost worlds. -- Brian Switek Wall Street Journal Ideal for all who love prehistoric landscapes and delight in the history of science, this book makes a treasured addition to any bookshelf, stoking curiosity in the evolution of life on Earth. -- Ian Paulsen The Birdbooker Report Prothero brings erudition and expert perspective to the material, but animates it in an entertaining and accessible manner. It reads like a fun conversation with a learned friend. -- Nathan H. Lents The Human Evolution Blog Written with bright enthusiasm... [The Story of Life in 25 Fossils] is a wonderful primer. -- Rob Hardy The Commercial Dispatch Chock full of excellent and interesting illustrations... [Prothero] writes excellent, readable prose, and vigorously makes connections between evolutionary questions and evolutionary data. Greg Laden's Blog A thoroughly enjoyable, highly readable, and entertaining book. Prothero is a masterful communicator of science and a lover of paleontology, and these traits have combined to produce one of the best books on the history of life I have read. If you want an introduction to the history of life on Earth, get this book. -- Jason S. Anderson BioScience A great introduction to the history of life on the planet Earth... A solid primer on why evolution is true... A fun read with lots of tales of paleontological adventure and derring-do... I recommend this book without hesitation. -- John Dupuis Confessions of a Science Librarian A magnificent journey through life's story told in such loving detail... Highly recommended. Choice [The book], written with bright enthusiasm and describing clearly how the fossil record shows evolution to have occured, is a wonderful primer about what paleontologists do. The DispatchTable of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments 1. Planet of the Scum: The First Fossils (Cryptozoon) 2. Garden of Ediacara: The First Multicellular Life (Charnia) 3. "Little Shellies": The First Shells (Cloudina) 4. Oh, Give Me a Home, When the Trilobites Roamed: The First Large Shelled Animals (Olenellus) 5. Is It a Worm or an Arthropod? The Origin of Arthropods (Hallucigenia) 6. Is It a Worm or a Mollusc? The Origin of Molluscs (Pilina) 7. Growing from the Sea: The Origin of Land Plants (Cooksonia) 8. A Fishy Tale: The Origin of Vertebrates (Haikouichthys) 9. Mega-Jaws: The Largest Fish (Carcharocles) 10. Fish out of Water: The Origin of Amphibians (Tiktaalik) 11. "Frogamander": The Origin of Frogs (Gerobatrachus) 12. Turtle on the Half-Shell: The Origin of Turtles (Odontochelys) 13. Walking Serpents: The Origin of Snakes (Haasiophis) 14. King of the Fish-Lizards: The Largest Marine Reptile (Shonisaurus) 15. Terror of the Seas: The Largest Sea Monster (Kronosaurus) 16. Monster Flesh-Eater: The Largest Predator (Giganotosaurus) 17. Land of the Giants: The Largest Land Animal (Argentinosaurus) 18. A Feather in Stone: The First Bird (Archaeopteryx) 19. Not Quite a Mammal: The Origin of Mammals (Thrinaxodon) 20. Walking Into the Water: The Origin of Whales (Ambulocetus) 21. Walking Manatees: The Origin of Sirenians (Pezosiren) 22. Dawn Horses: The Origin of Horses (Eohippus) 23. Rhinoceros Giants: The Largest Land Mammal (Paraceratherium) 24. The Ape's Reflection? The Oldest Human Fossil (Sahelanthropus) 25. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds: The Oldest Human Skeleton (Australopithecus afarensis) Appendix: The Best Natural History Museums Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis300 million years ago, dog-sized scorpions and millipedes walked the earth and tropical rainforests towered into the sky. George R. McGhee Jr. explores that ancient world, explaining its origins, its downfall in the end-Permian mass extinction, and its legacies, to offer insight into past and present extinction events and climate change.Trade ReviewCarboniferous Giants and Mass Extinction is a superb and unique synthesis of the current knowledge of processes and conditions during the Late Paleozoic, incorporating the results from all subdisciplines of the earth and life sciences. McGhee demonstrates his expertise and knowledge in all the subdisciplines in a magnificent way. The book is a pleasure to read and at the same time erudite. -- Hermann Pfefferkorn, University of PennsylvaniaCarboniferous Giants and Mass Extinction is comprehensive and well researched, and provides fascinating insights into the complex Carboniferous world. It has amazing presentation, including depth, perception, and interpretation, and the writing style is readable and captivating. This work will be a valuable reference for geology students and others interested in past earth climates. -- Peter E. Isaacson, University of IdahoA valuable contribution to our understanding of ancient environments and the incredible plants and animals that once inhabited the Earth. * Everything Dinosaur *Highly recommended. * Everything Dinosaur *Table of ContentsPreface1. Harbingers of the Late Paleozoic Ice Age2. The Big Chill3. The Late Carboniferous Ice World4. Giants in the Earth . . .5. The End of the Late Paleozoic Ice Age6. The End of the Paleozoic World7. The Legacy of the Late Paleozoic Ice AgeNotesReferencesIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisEvery rock is a tangible trace of the earth’s past. This book tells the fascinating stories behind the discoveries that shook the foundations of geology. In twenty-five chapters—each about a particular rock, outcrop, or geologic phenomenon—Donald R. Prothero recounts the scientific detective work that shaped our understanding of geology.Trade ReviewA natural follow-up to the author’s The Story of Life in 25 Fossils . . . [A] useful introduction to geology. * Kirkus Reviews *In 25 short and enjoyable chapters, [Prothero] explores issues that have been at the center of geology since long before geology was a science... Prothero provides thought-provoking historical context for each subject and presents information about the individuals responsible for advancing geological knowledge—including James Hutton, Charles Lyell, and Alfred Wegener—while explaining the underlying science in an accessible manner. * Publishers Weekly *Geologist Donald Prothero has crafted a rock-solid premise for this delightful book. -- Barbara Kiser * Nature *I learned something and gained a deeper appreciation for the history of Earth science from reading The Story of the Earth in 25 Rocks. I recommend it to anyone interested in tales of scientific discovery and natural marvels. * Physics Today *Skillfully presents a vast array of facts that should appeal to readers newly acquainted with Earth science who are interested in learning a bit more. * Choice *The Story of the Earth in 25 Rocks provides twenty-five well-lit doorways into the sometimes dark and imposing edifice of the geologic past. Colorful characters welcome the reader in, revealing the very human nature of scientific inquiry and our long and complicated relationship with rocks. -- Marcia Bjornerud, author of Reading the Rocks: The Autobiography of EarthTable of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgments 1. Volcanic Tuff: Vulcan’s Wrath: The Eruption of Vesuvius2. Native Copper: The Iceman and the Island of Copper3. Cassiterite: The “Isles of Tin” and the Bronze Age4. Angular Unconformity: “No Vestige of a Beginning”: The Immensity of Geologic Time5. Igneous Dikes: The “Earth’s Great Heat Engine”: The Origin of Magmas6. Coal: The Rock That Burns Fires the Industrial Revolution7. Jurassic World: The Map That Changed the World: William Smith and the Rocks of Britain8. Radioactive Uranium: Clocks in Rocks: Arthur Holmes and the Age of the Earth9. Chondritic Meteorites: Messengers From Space: The Origin of the Solar System10. Iron-Nickel Meteorites: The Cores of Other Planets 11. Moon Rocks: Green Cheese or Anorthosite: The Origin of the Moon12. Zircons: Early Oceans and Life? Evidence in a Grain of Sand13. Stromatolites: Microbial Condos: Cyanobacteria and the Oldest Life14. Banded Iron Formation: Mountains of Iron: The Earth’s Early Atmosphere15. Turbidites: Archean Sediments and Submarine Landslides16. Diamictites: Tropical Glaciers and the Snowball Earth17. Exotic Terranes: Paradox in Rocks: Wandering Fossils and Traveling Landmasses18. Jigsaw-Puzzle Bedrock: Alfred Wegener and Continental Drift19. Chalk: The Cretaceous Seaway and Greenhouse Planet20. The Iridium Layer: The Death of the Dinosaurs21. Lodestones: How Paleomagic Launched Plate Tectonics22. Blueschists: The Puzzle of Subduction Zones23. Transform Faults: Earthquake! The San Andreas Fault24. Messinian Evaporites: The Mediterranean Was a Desert25. Glacial Erraticts: A Poet, a Professor, a Politician, a Janitor, and the Discovery of the Ice AgesIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this lively and illuminating discussion of his landmark research, esteemed primatologist Frans de Waal argues that human morality is not imposed from above but instead comes from within. Moral behavior does not begin and end with religion but is in fact a product of evolution.Trade Review"A tour de force." -- Christopher Boehm - Nature"A writer marshaling the evidence of his life, particularly his life as a scientist, to express a passionately held belief in the possibility of a more compassionate society." -- Meehan Crist - New Republic"A primatologist who has spent his career studying chimpanzees and bonobos, two of humanity’s closest living relatives, Mr. de Waal draws on a lifetime of empirical research. His data provides plenty of evidence that religion is not necessary in order for animals to display something that looks strikingly like human morality." -- The Economist"The perpetual challenge to atheists is that moral behavior requires religion—all that prevents tsunamis of depravity is a deity or two, some nice hymns, and the threat of hellfire and damnation. De Waal shows that human morality is deeply rooted in our primate legacy, long predating the invention of that cultural gizmo called religion. This is an immensely important book by one of our most distinguished thinkers." -- Robert Sapolsky, author of Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers and Monkeyluv"Frans de Waal’s new book carries the important message that human kindness is a biological feature of our species and not something that has to be imposed on us by religious teaching." -- Desmond Morris, author of The Naked Ape

Read more less

Book SynopsisHummingbirds, and the balletic ways in which they feed on flowers, are familiar to most people. But they belong to just one of at least 74 bird families that are known, or suspected, to be pollinators. Relationships between plants and birds first emerged at least 50 million years ago and over time have influenced the evolution of both groups. This groundbreaking book is the first to deal with pollinating birds in all their diversity, involving almost 1,390 avian species interacting with tens of thousands of different plants. It rescues them from being novelties of natural history and explores these interactions in all their evolutionary and ecological significance. Pollinating birds have intricate lives that are often highly dependent on flowers, and the plants themselves are at the whim of birds for their reproduction. This makes them important players within many ecosystems, including tropical rainforests, dry grasslands, temperate woodlands, coastal mangroves and oceanic islands. Bird–flower relationships are threatened by disease, habitat destruction and climate change. Some of the birds are already extinct. Yet there are optimistic stories to be told about conservation and restoration projects that reveal the commitment of people to preserving these vital ecological connections. In addition, as a source of cultural inspiration with a history stretching back millennia, pollinating birds and their flowers are part of the ongoing relationship between humanity and the rest of nature.Table of ContentsIntroduction: Encounters with birds and flowers 1. Origins of a partnership 2. Surprising variety 3. Keeping it in the family 4. A flower’s point of view 5. In the eye of the beholder 6. Goods and services 7. Misaligned interests 8. Senses and sensitivities 9. Codependent connections 10. Hitchhikers, drunks and killers 11. The limits to specialisation 12. Islands in the sea, islands in the sky 13. The curious case of Europe 14. ‘After the Manner of Bees’ 15. Feathers and fruits 16. Urban flowers for urban birds 17. Bad birds and feral flowers 18. What escapes the eye 19. The restoration of hope Species names Sources and further reading Acknowledgements Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen and where did the ancestors of modern birds evolve? What enabled them to survive the meteoric impact that wiped out the dinosaurs? How did these early birds spread across the globe and give rise to the 10,600-plus species we recognise today ― from the largest ratites to the smallest hummingbirds? Based on the latest scientific discoveries and enriched by personal observations, The Ascent of Birds sets out to answer these fundamental questions. The Ascent of Birds is divided into self-contained chapters, or stories, that collectively encompass the evolution of modern birds from their origins in Gondwana, over 100 million years ago, to the present day. The stories are arranged in chronological order, from tinamous to tanagers, and describe the many dispersal and speciation events that underpin the world's 10,600-plus species. Although each chapter is spearheaded by a named bird and focuses on a specific evolutionary mechanism, the narrative will often explore the relevance of such events and processes to evolution in general. The book starts with The Tinamou’s Story, which explains the presence of flightless birds in South America, Africa, and Australasia, and dispels the cherished role of continental drift as an explanation for their biogeography. It also introduces the concept of neoteny, an evolutionary trick that enabled dinosaurs to become birds and humans to conquer the planet. The Vegavis's Story explores the evidence for a Cretaceous origin of modern birds and why they were able to survive the asteroid collision that saw the demise not only of dinosaurs but of up to three-quarters of all species. The Duck's Story switches to sex: why have so few species retained the ancestral copulatory organ? Or, put another way, why do most birds exhibit the paradoxical phenomenon of penis loss, despite all species requiring internal fertilisation? The Hoatzin's Story reveals unexpected oceanic rafting from Africa to South America: a stranger-than-fiction means of dispersal that is now thought to account for the presence of other South American vertebrates, including geckos and monkeys. The latest theories underpinning speciation are also explored. The Manakin’s Story, for example, reveals how South America’s extraordinarily rich avifauna has been shaped by past geological, oceanographic and climatic changes, while The Storm-Petrel’s Story examines how species can evolve from an ancestral population despite inhabiting the same geographical area. The thorny issue of what constitutes a species is discussed in The Albatross's Story, while The Penguin’s Story explores the effects of environment on phenotype ― in the case of the Emperor penguin, the harshest on the planet. Recent genomic advances have given scientists novel approaches to explore the distant past and have revealed many unexpected journeys, including the unique overland dispersal of an early suboscine from Asia to South America (The Sapayoa’s Story) and the blackbird's ancestral sweepstake dispersals across the Atlantic (The Thrush’s Story). Additional vignettes update more familiar concepts that encourage speciation: sexual selection (The Bird-of-Paradise's Story); extended phenotypes (The Bowerbird's Story); hybridisation (The Sparrow's Story); and 'great speciators' (The White-eye's Story). Finally, the book explores the raft of recent publications that help explain the evolution of cognitive skills (The Crow's Story); plumage colouration (The Starling's Story); and birdsong (The Finch's Story)Trade ReviewWe expect to find well‐read copies of this book in libraries near famous birding locations across the globe, from Pipeline Road to Kinabalu National Park. * Journal of Field Ornithology *The Ascent of Birds is a fascinating story of bird history, a collection of exciting and readable essays on the development of different bird types from ancient times to the present and the future. -- Pertti Koskimies * Linnut *While this book is a little daunting at first, covering as it does the entire evolutionary history of birds, the author does an excellent job of breaking the latest science down into understandable chunks, and I highly recommend it as an excellent synthesis of this amazing field of research. You won’t look at birds the same again. -- Cyndi M. Smith * Canadian Field Naturalist *Birds draw you in with flashy characteristics – dazzling colors, melodious songs, the power of flight. By the time you start to get inured to these you discover there is so much more. What’s the deal with all their diversity? Where did they come from? And just how in the world did we ever get such creatures as the birds-of-paradise? But such answers have not always been easy to come by, unless you happened to be an evolutionary biologist. That is, until John Reilly’s The Ascent of Birds: How Modern Science Is Revealing Their Story. You would be forgiven for prejudging a book dealing with “the evolution of modern birds from their origins in Gondwana, over 100 million years ago, to the present day” would be a slog to read. But nothing could be further from the truth. The key is the final word in this book’s subtitle: story. This isn’t a textbook, it’s the story of birds. -- Grant McCreary * The Birder's Library *....we finally have a good volume presenting the vast amount of modern work done on bird evolution to those interested. This is a notable achievement and has been well executed. -- Darren Naish * Tetrapod Zoology *A readable overview of avian evolution. -- Ian Paulsen * Birdbooker *I highly recommend it to more experienced birders and to all interested in birds and avian evolution as an entertaining and instructive resource. -- Clifford Frith * Australian Field Ornithology *...one of those publications that makes you realise how much you didn't know you didn't know. It is also tremendous fun to read, and would be a valuable addition to any keen birder's library. -- Martin Collinson * British Birds *I don’t normally start reading a book and post a review before I’ve finished (or in the case of a few abandoned) reading it. I’m making an exception for this as it's not just an important contribution to ornithology it really is a shining example of how a technical subject can be presented in an easily digestible way to the lay readership. This is very well written and makes the evolutionary process in birds easy to understand and compelling. The author’s own passions get shared and you quickly go along for the ride and lap up the facts presented to you. This one’s a keeper! -- FatbirderEvery once in a while you stumble on a new natural history book that seems destined to be a classic. Is that a bold enough opening to convey how much I enjoyed The Ascent of Birds by John Reilly, new this spring from Pelagic Publishing? -- Carrie Laben * http://www.10000birds.com *...this ranks among the best popular science books and provides a great guide to our current understanding of where, and how, birds evolved. -- Rob Robinson * BTO News *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements List of Illustrations Timeline - Geological Ages - Prologue: Evolution of an Idea PART ONE: NON-PASSERINES 1. The Tinamou's Story: Death of a Paradigm 2. The Vegavis's Story: The Cradle of Modern Birds 3. The Waterfowl's Story: Refugia, High Living, and Sex 4. The Hoatzin's Story: An Improbable Voyage 5. The Penguin's Story: Phenotype and Environment 6. The Storm Petrel's Story: Sympatry versus Allopatry 7. The Albatross's Story: The Species Problem 8. The Godwit's Story:Quantum Compasses 9. The Buzzard's Story: Accidental Speciation 10. The Owl's Story: Nightlife 11. The Oilbird's Story: Evolutionary Distinctiveness 12. The Hummingbird's Story: A Route of Evanescence 13. The Parrot's Story: Vicariance and Dispersal PART TWO: PASSERINES 14. The New Zealand Wren's Story: A Novel Foot 15. The Manakin's Story: Why so many Suboscines? 16. The Sapayoa's Story: Odd One Out 17. The Scrubbird's Story: Where Song Began 18. The Bowerbird's Story: Extended Phenotypes 19. The Crows' Story: Cognitive Skills 20. The Bird of Paradise's Story: Sexual Selection 21. The Starling's Story: Structural Colours 22. The Thrush's Story: Sweepstake Dispersals 23. The Sparrow's Story: Hybridisation and Speciation 24. The Zebra Finch's Story: Evolution of Birdsong 25. The Crossbill's Story: Adaptive Radiation and Coevolution 26. The White-eye's Story: Supertramps and Great Speciators 27. The Tanager's Story: A Final Flourish Postscript: The Sixth Extinction Appendix 1: Glossary Dramatis Personae Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisNamed A Best Book of the Year by World MagazineThroughout his distinguished and unconventional career, engineer-turned-molecular-biologist Douglas Axe has been asking the questions that much of the scientific community would rather silence. Now, he presents his conclusions in this brave and pioneering book. Axe argues that the key to understanding our origin is the “design intuition”—the innate belief held by all humans that tasks we would need knowledge to accomplish can only be accomplished by someone who has that knowledge. For the ingenious task of inventing life, this knower can only be God.Starting with the hallowed halls of academic science, Axe dismantles the widespread belief that Darwin’s theory of evolution is indisputably true, showing instead that a gaping hole has been at its center from the beginning. He then explains in plain English the science that proves our design intuition scientifically valid. Last

Read more less

Book SynopsisRichard Dawkins on how nature and humans have learned to overcome the pull of gravity and take to the skies. 'A masterly investigation of all aspects of flight, human and animal... A beautifully produced book that will appeal across age groups' Alexander McCall Smith 'Dawkins has always been an extraordinarily muscular, persuasive thinker. What feels new here is that he writes with such charm and warmth' The Times Have you ever dreamt you could fly? Or imagined what it would be like to glide and swoop through the sky like a bird? Do you let your mind soar to unknown, magical spaces? Richard Dawkins explores the wonder of flight: from the mythical Icarus, to the sadly extinct but spectacular bird Argentavis magnificens, from the Wright flyer and the 747, to the Tinkerbella fairyfly and the Peregrine falcon. But he also explores flights of the mind and escaping the everyday – through science, ideas and imagination. Fascinating and beautifully illustrated, this is a unique collaboration between one of the world's leading scientists and a talented artist.Trade ReviewRichard Dawkins writes with admirable clarity and Jana Lenzova illustrates in much the same way... A masterly investigation of all aspects of flight, human and animal. This is a beautifully produced book that will appeal across age groups' -- Alexander McCall-SmithDawkins writes with such an irresistible combination of mastery of the subject, delight in it, and vividness. A total pleasure -- Michael FraynDawkins's prose feels as if it were cut with a laser ... Dawkins has always been an extraordinarily muscular, persuasive thinker. What feels new here is that he writes with such charm and warmth. Genial Uncle Richard, for me, is the most likeable Dawkins yet * Sunday Times *He has made Darwinism cooler than it has any right to be * Sunday Times *PRAISE FOR RICHARD DAWKINS: 'Written with all the clarity and elegance of which Dawkins is a master. It should have a place in every school library – especially in the library of every 'faith' school' Philip Pullman, on The God Delusion. 'One of the best non-fiction writers alive today' -- Steven Pinker

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe idea of a missing link between humanity and our animal ancestors predates evolution and popular science. The author takes aim at this misleading notion, arguing that it reflects a profound misunderstanding of how evolution works and, when applied to the evolution of our own species, supports mistaken ideas about our own place in the universe.Trade Review"If you only read one book on evolution this year, make it this one. You will be dethroned. But you won't be disappointed." (Geoscientist) "A persuasive book.... Gee is good at explaining how fossil evidence has been (mis)interpreted to fit that famous picture of man rising from the ape, growing taller and wiser with each step before culminating in us. The reality, he points out, is very different: until recently (no later than 50,000 years ago) there were many species of humans across the world. Some, such as the Neanderthals, had brains at least as big as ours; while others, such as the diminutive 'hobbit' found on the Indonesian island of Flores, were more closely akin to the apes." (Financial Times)

Read more less

Book SynopsisIf there is one dominant myth about the world, one huge mistake we all make it is that we all go around assuming the world is much more of a planned place than it is.'From the industrial revolution and the rise of China, to urbanisation and the birth of bitcoin, Matt Ridley demolishes conventional assumptions that the great events and trends of our day are dictated by those on high. On the contrary, our most important achievements develop from the ground up. In this wide-ranging and erudite book, Matt Ridley brilliantly makes the case for evolution as the force that has shaped much of our culture, our minds, and that even now is shaping our future.As compelling as it is controversial, as authoritative as it is ambitious, Ridley's deeply thought-provoking book will change the way we think about the world and how it works.Trade Review‘He argues we live in a bottom-up world…a compelling argument and in this fascinating work, an evolution from Ridley’s other books, such as The Rational Optimist of The Origins of Virtue, he takes it to all realms of knowledge and how new ideas emerge… Ridley has amassed such a weight of fascinating evidence and anecdote that the pages fly by’ Ed Conway, The Times ‘Intriguing and artfully argued’ Ian Critchly, The Sunday Times ‘This is a book of remarkable scope (when Ridley says everything, he isn’t exaggerating), clearly written by a polymath who reads whatever is interesting, old and new. What’s more, it does not have the feel of a book written on commission so much as one that has been slowly assembling its own emergent thesis over time, tentatively testing and sometimes rejecting ideas along the way. As so often in nature, something wonderful has thereby come about’ Literary Review ‘The book displays his wide and deep knowledge of many different fields. It is fast paced and elegantly written. Few readers will come away without fresh information and a challenge to their preconceptions’ Prospect ‘Readable, provocative and infuriating’ New Statesman Praise for Matt Ridley: ‘What a superb writer he is, and he seems to get better and better.' Richard Dawkins, author of ‘The Selfish Gene’ Praise for ‘The Rational Optimist’: ‘A triumphant blast on the vuvuzela of common sense’ Boris Johnson ‘A glorious defence of our species… a devastating rebuke to humanity's self-haters’ Sunday Times ‘No other book has argued with such brilliance against the automatic pessimism that prevails’ Ian McEwan ‘His theory is, in a way, the glorious offspring that would result if Charles Darwin’s ideas were mated with those of Adam Smith’ The Economist ‘As a work of bold historical positivity it is to be welcomed. At every point cheerfulness keeps breaking through’ The Times

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this lively and illuminating discussion of his landmark research, esteemed primatologist Frans de Waal argues that human morality is not imposed from above but instead comes from within. Moral behavior does not begin and end with religion but is in fact a product of evolution.Trade Review"Frans de Waal’s new book carries the important message that human kindness is a biological feature of our species and not something that has to be imposed on us by religious teaching." -- Desmond Morris, author of The Naked Ape"De Waal’s decades of patient work documenting the ‘building blocks’ of morality in other animals has revolutionized not just primatology but moral psychology. By revealing our commonalities with other species, he gives us more compassion for them and also for ourselves. It’s impossible to look an ape in the eye and not see oneself, de Waal tells us, and this beautifully written book is one long riveting gaze." -- Jonathan Haidt, author of The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion"Frans de Waal offers us a wealth of inspiring observations from the animal realm, combined with thoughtful reflections on the evolution of morality. He makes a convincing case for the natural foundations of a secular ethics that is fully independent of religion without being dogmatically against it." -- Matthieu Ricard, Buddhist monk, scientist, and author of Happiness and The Quantum and the Lotus"The perpetual challenge to atheists is that moral behavior requires religion—all that prevents tsunamis of depravity is a deity or two, some nice hymns, and the threat of hellfire and damnation. De Waal shows that human morality is deeply rooted in our primate legacy, long predating the invention of that cultural gizmo called religion. This is an immensely important book by one of our most distinguished thinkers." -- Robert Sapolsky, author of Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers and Monkeyluv"A well-composed argument for the biological foundations of human morality." -- Kirkus Reviews"This is a writer marshaling the evidence of his life, particularly his life as a scientist, to express a passionately held belief in the possibility of a more compassionate society." -- Meehan Crist - New Republic"A primatologist who has spent his career studying chimpanzees and bonobos, two of humanity’s closest living relatives, Mr. de Waal draws on a lifetime of empirical research. His data provides plenty of evidence that religion is not necessary in order for animals to display something that looks strikingly like human morality." -- The Economist

Read more less

Book SynopsisDinosaurs are fascinating creatures and their popularity seems never ending, fuelled by films such as Jurassic Park and documentaries such as Walking with Dinosaurs. Yet dinosaurs (or more precisely non-avian dinosaurs) last trod the Earth 65 million years ago. All we know of them today are their fossilised bones, the tracks and traces that they left behind and, in very rare instances, some of the soft tissues or even traces of their chemistry. In many respects dinosaurs present us with one of the ultimate forensic challenges: they comprise the fragmentary remains of creatures that died many tens of millions of years ago, rather than just recently, or a few tens of years ago, which is the problem usually faced by forensic pathologists. How much do we really know about them, and to what extent can their remains inform us about ancient worlds, and indeed about the history of our planet?In this Very Short Introduction David Norman discusses how dinosaurs were first discovered and interpreTrade ReviewDinosaurs: A Very Short Introduction is anything but. Instead, Dave Norman's book is a tour de force on the latest research on these terribly great reptiles, much of it by himself. An excellent read!! * David B. Weishampel, Senior Editor, The Dinosauria *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION; REFERENCES; FURTHER READING; INDEX

Read more less

Book SynopsisWeaves the evolutionary theory of sexual selection and the study of rhetoric together with the science and literature of psychedelic drugsTrade Review". . . offer[s] unique insights into the pleasures and desires that animate our relationships . . . The diverse source material Doyle uses serves as a model for the kind of commons he celebrates. He offers wonderfully attentive readings of trip reports from famous users . . ." -- Jenna Supp-Montgomerie * Women's Studies Quarterly *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction | Glimpsing the Peacock Angel 1. The Flowers of Perception: Trip Reports, Stigmergy, and the Nth Person Plural 2. Rhetorical Mycelium: Psychedelics as Eloquence Adjuncts? 3. Rhetorical Adjuncts and the Evolution of Rhetoric: Darwin’s Impassioned Speech 4. LSDNA : Creative Problem Solving, Consciousness Expansion, and the Emergence of Biotechnology 5. Hyperbolic: Divining Ayahuasca 6. The Transgenic Involution 7. From Zero to One: Metaprogramming Noise, with Special Reference to Plant Intelligence Epilogue: In Darwin’s Dreams Notes References Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisSome 250 million years ago, the earth suffered the greatest biological crisis in its history. Around 95 percent of all living species died out--a global catastrophe far greater than the dinosaurs' demise 185 million years later. How this happened remains a mystery. But there are many competing theories. Some blame huge volcanic eruptions that coverTrade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2006 "Theories and mysteries can be dispelled with good data from the geologic record, and Erwin (a paleobiologist at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History) offers an authoritative account of the search for these data and for the cause of the extinction... Extinction provides a great reference for researchers and the interested lay reader alike."--Andrew M. Bush, Science "Extinction is a very enjoyable read... It provides a thoroughly up-to-date account of the causes of the end-Permian event and the developments in the field since 1993 as seen through the eyes of one of the key players... Extinction leaves the reader with the (accurate) picture that here is a scientist whose work has significantly advanced our understanding of the greatest extinction event known to science... [A] readable and scholarly account."--Richard J. Twitchett, American Scientist "Douglas Erwin's geological mystery story is engrossing. It contains a tribute to the scientific method--and also the collaborations of research. The book ends with Erwin warning that the Earth is arguably entering another mass extinction period, this time unnatural and man-made. And this time the destruction may well be total."--Lucy Sussex, The Age (Sunday edition) "Douglas H. Erwin, a Smithsonian paleobiologist and one of the leading experts on the Permian extinction has meticulously sifted through the evidence... His accessible new book, Extinction--written, it seems, both to persuade his colleagues and to educate a lay audience--is told from the perspective of a forensic scientist trying to piece together a quarter-billion-year-old crime scene."--Joshua Foer, Washington Post Book World "Douglas Erwin describes how life on Earth was nearly destroyed at the end of the Permian period, 250 million years ago... The author ... explain[s] what this paleontological, as well as geological, evidence can tell scientists about the dramatic and deadly shift in the Earth's environment."--Science News "No one can tell this story better than Douglas Erwin. His book is a superbly written account of what we know about the Permian extinctions... More than a geological story, this book is an excellent model of how science addresses complicated questions."--Choice "This book does not justify a single, accepted causal sequence of events ... to account for the end-Permian extinction. Instead, Erwin dissects the evidence for and against each hypothesis, impartially weighing their strengths and weaknesses. Although this book may frustrate readers expecting to learn how life nearly ended 250 million years ago, it will reward them with a fascinating case study in scientific inference, a case that remains very much open."--John P. Hunter, Quarterly Review of Biology "Erwin's book is science writing for the general public at its best and most lucid. Entertaining, informative, and thought provoking."--Northeastern Naturalist "Erwin offers a thorough overview of one of the most interesting problems in earth history... Erwin takes the readers on an insider's journey that includes adventures in the field, tedious hours in the laboratory, and stimulating but sometimes contentious exchanges among colleagues at scientific meetings. He gives rigorous consideration to every reasonable hypothesis... Erwin's short course is a professional service for geologists (like me) who have read only some of the primary literature on the end-Permian extinction."--Stephen O. Moshier, Books & Culture "For scientists as well as general educated readers, this book enlightens its readers to the complexity of the largest biological crisis the earth has yet seen."--H.J.M. Meijer, PalArch's Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology "I recommend Extinction: How Life on Earth Nearly Ended 250 Million Years Ago to scientists and nonscientists alike. It provides a clear, comprehensive, and compelling introduction to the greatest catastrophe in the history of animal life and proposes a reasonable hypothesis for the cause of the extinction that will undoubtedly be tested vigorously with new data in the coming decade."--Jonathan L. Payne, ComplexityTable of ContentsAcknowledgments vii Preface to the New Paperback Edition ix CHAPTER 1: Introduction 1 CHAPTER 2: A Cacophony of Causes 17 CHAPTER 3: South China Interlude 59 CHAPTER 4: It's a Matter of Time 77 CHAPTER 5: Filter Feeding Fails 98 CHAPTER 6: South African Eden 124 CHAPTER 7: The Perils of Permian Seas 161 CHAPTER 8: Denouement 187 CHAPTER 9: Resurrection and Recovery 218 CHAPTER 10: The Paradox of the Permo-Triassic 245 Notes 263 References 275 Index 293

Read more less

Book SynopsisCommunity ecology has undergone a transformation in recent years, from a discipline largely focused on processes occurring within a local area to a discipline encompassing a much richer domain of study, including the linkages between communities separated in space (metacommunity dynamics), niche and neutral theory, the interplay between ecology and evolution (eco-evolutionary dynamics), and the influence of historical and regional processes in shaping patterns of biodiversity. To fully understand these new developments, however, students continue to need a strong foundation in the study of species interactions and how these interactions are assembled into food webs and other ecological networks. This new edition fulfils the book''s original aims, both as a much-needed up-to-date and accessible introduction to modern community ecology, and in identifying the important questions that are yet to be answered. This research-driven textbook introduces state-of-the-art community ecology to a Table of Contents1: Community ecology's roots Part I The Big Picture: patterns, causes, and consequences of biodiversity 2: Patterns of biological diversity 3: Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning Part II The Nitty-Gritty: species interactions in simple modules 4: Population growth and density dependence 5: The fundamentals of predator-prey interactions 6: Selective predators and responsive prey 7: The fundamentals of competitive interactions 8: Species coexistence and niche theory 9: Beneficial interactions in communities: Mutualism and facilitation Part III Putting the Pieces Together: food webs, ecological networks and community assembly 10: Species interactions in ecological networks 11: Food chains and food webs: Controlling factors and cascading effects 12: Community assembly and species traits Part IV Patial Ecology: metapopulations and metacommunities 13: Patchy environments, metapopulations and fugitive species 14: Metacommunities Part V Species in Changing Environments: ecology and evolution 15: Species in variable environments 16: Evolutionary community ecology 17: Some concluding remarks and a look ahead

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis monumental work by Dankmar Bosse presents, for the first time, a comprehensive picture of the evolution of the earth and its natural kingdoms, based primarily on geology and paleontology, and with reference to the work of Rudolf Steiner.Bosse explores many core questions of natural science, such as the relationship of humanity to the evolution of the animal kingdom, the origin of deep crystalline rocks, and the shaping of present-day landscapes.This is a fascinating exposition of the development of our natural world, and human beings, lavishly illustrated in colour. It is essential reading for anyone interested in how life on earth, and the earth itself, got to this point.

Read more less