Life ascending : the ten great inventions of evolution / Nick Lane.
Material type:
TextPublication details: New York : W.W. Norton, 2009.Edition: 1st American edDescription: 344 p. : ill. ; 25 cmISBN: - 9780393065961 (hardcover)
- 0393065960 (hardcover)
| Item type | Current library | Call number | Copy number | Status | Date due | Barcode | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Loan | Thurles Library Main Collection | 576.8 LAN (Browse shelf(Opens below)) | 1 | Available | R18047YKRC | ||
| Standard Loan | Thurles Library Main Collection | 576.8 LAN (Browse shelf(Opens below)) | 1 | Available | R18048AKRC | ||
| Standard Loan | Thurles Library Main Collection | 576.8 LAN (Browse shelf(Opens below)) | 1 | Available | R18050MKRC |
Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:
How did life invent itself? Where did DNA come from? How did consciousness develop? Powerful new research methods are providing vivid insights into the makeup of life. Comparing gene sequences, examining atomic structures of proteins, and looking into the geochemistry of rocks have helped explain evolution in more detail than ever before. Nick Lane expertly reconstructs the history of life by describing the ten greatest inventions of evolution (including DNA, photosynthesis, sex, and sight), based on their historical impact, role in organisms today, and relevance to current controversies. Who would have guessed that eyes started off as light-sensitive spots used to calibrate photosynthesis in algae? Or that DNA's building blocks form spontaneously in hydrothermal vents? Lane gives a gripping, lucid account of nature's ingenuity, and the result is a work of essential reading for anyone who has ever pondered or questioned the science underlying evolution's greatest gifts to man.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 313-326) and index.
The origin of life -- DNA -- Photosynthesis -- The complex cell -- Sex -- Movement -- Sight -- Hot blood -- Consciousness -- Death.
Nick Lane expertly reconstructs the history of life by describing the ten greatest inventions of evolution (including DNA, photosynthesis, sex, and sight), based on their historical impact, role in organisms today, and relevance to current controversies.