Powerful new research methods are providing fresh and vivid insights into the makeup of life. Comparing gene sequences, examining the atomic structure of proteins and looking into the geochemistry of rocks have all helped to explain creation and evolution in more detail than ever before. Nick Lane uses the full extent of this new knowledge to describe the ten greatest inventions of life, based on their historical impact, role in living organisms today and relevance to current controversies. DNA, sex, sight and consciousnesses are just four examples. Lane also explains how these findings have come about, and the extent to which they can be relied upon. The result is a gripping and lucid account of the ingenuity of nature, and a book which is essential reading for anyone who has ever questioned the science behind the glories of everyday life.
Life Ascending: The Ten Great Inventions of Evolution
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'Excellent and imaginative and, similar to life itself, the book is full of surprises.... Life Ascending is a fascinating book for anyone interested in life and evolution, and how these discoveries were made' - Lewis Wolpert, Nature
-- Lewis Wolpert, Nature
'If Charles Darwin sprang from his grave, I would give him this fine book to bring him up to speed. It's a breathless bulletin from the accelerating rush of news about the secrets of life on planet earth.' - Matt Ridley -- Matt Ridley
'This is a science book that doesn't cheat: the structure is logical, the writing is witty, and the hard questions are tackled head on'
-- Guardian
`A clever concept is carried through with a clarity and enthusiasm that belies the sophistication of the science' Guardian Summer Reading -- Guardian Summer Reading
`Excellent and imaginative and, similar to life itself, the book is full of surprises....' Lewis Wolpert, Nature -- Lewis Wolpert, Nature
-- Lewis Wolpert, Nature
'If Charles Darwin sprang from his grave, I would give him this fine book to bring him up to speed. It's a breathless bulletin from the accelerating rush of news about the secrets of life on planet earth.' - Matt Ridley -- Matt Ridley
'This is a science book that doesn't cheat: the structure is logical, the writing is witty, and the hard questions are tackled head on'
-- Guardian
`A clever concept is carried through with a clarity and enthusiasm that belies the sophistication of the science' Guardian Summer Reading -- Guardian Summer Reading
`Excellent and imaginative and, similar to life itself, the book is full of surprises....' Lewis Wolpert, Nature -- Lewis Wolpert, Nature
Review
'If Charles Darwin sprang from his grave, I would give him this fine book to bring him up to speed. It's a breathless bulletin from the accelerating rush of news about the secrets of life on planet earth.' - Matt Ridley
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70 of 71 people found the following review helpful
By J. Taylor
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I don't think it is an overstatement to say that every one of these ten chapters could be expanded to fill ten books! This book is therefore very fast moving, absolutely packed with information and bang up to date.
It is a tribute to the writing skills of the author, that the ten separate inventions follow from each other so smoothly and logically.
Particularly outstanding chapters included the subjects of DNA, photosynthesis, sight, hot blood and death. Here, the level of understanding conferred far exceeded the average poular science book.
A few of the chapters proved quite a challenge, notably the origin of life and conciousness. Whilst these subjects arguably deserve their status in the top ten, the difficulty is possibly that they are less well understood by the current status of science.
Overall, if you really want an inspiring, deeper understanding of the mechanics of evolution, I can't fault this book. If however you are fairly new to the subject, then Richard Dawkins classic "The Selfish Gene" still lays the foundations of understanding without dumbing down.
Some subjects really are more complex than a post-it note explanation, intellectual effort is required, but Life Ascending makes the quest both accessible and richly rewarding. An awesome read!
It is a tribute to the writing skills of the author, that the ten separate inventions follow from each other so smoothly and logically.
Particularly outstanding chapters included the subjects of DNA, photosynthesis, sight, hot blood and death. Here, the level of understanding conferred far exceeded the average poular science book.
A few of the chapters proved quite a challenge, notably the origin of life and conciousness. Whilst these subjects arguably deserve their status in the top ten, the difficulty is possibly that they are less well understood by the current status of science.
Overall, if you really want an inspiring, deeper understanding of the mechanics of evolution, I can't fault this book. If however you are fairly new to the subject, then Richard Dawkins classic "The Selfish Gene" still lays the foundations of understanding without dumbing down.
Some subjects really are more complex than a post-it note explanation, intellectual effort is required, but Life Ascending makes the quest both accessible and richly rewarding. An awesome read!
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Jason Mills
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
This is a thrilling book. Lane picks 10 milestones in evolution and explores their biochemistry. These landmarks are: the origin of life, DNA, photosynthesis, the complex cell, sex, movement, sight, hot blood, consciousness and death. He presents the problems, the research, the contending hypotheses and his careful conclusions, all in a depth of detail that flatters the reader's intellect (this reader's anyway!), yet remains eminently comprehensible throughout. The arguments and explanations are bang up to date and constantly surprising: it was a real delight to me that despite my reading any number of popular texts about evolution, there was still almost nothing here that I already knew!
The premise requires covering certain inevitable subjects, and so I approached the dull-sounding chapter on photosynthesis, for example, as a necessary evil: yet who could have expected that the molecular processes involved could be so exciting? Similarly, the unpromising topic of the mechanical operation of muscle fibres turns out to be fascinating. I found the chapter on consciousness comparatively weak, but it asks a lot for a biochemist to crack that one!
The book's apparatus includes illustrations, an annotated bibliography and extensive index. There are also endnotes: these contain commentary rather than citation, so are better read as one goes along (footnotes might have served the reader better).
This book passes my 'bus test': it made me want to get on the bus to work, so that I could continue reading it!
The premise requires covering certain inevitable subjects, and so I approached the dull-sounding chapter on photosynthesis, for example, as a necessary evil: yet who could have expected that the molecular processes involved could be so exciting? Similarly, the unpromising topic of the mechanical operation of muscle fibres turns out to be fascinating. I found the chapter on consciousness comparatively weak, but it asks a lot for a biochemist to crack that one!
The book's apparatus includes illustrations, an annotated bibliography and extensive index. There are also endnotes: these contain commentary rather than citation, so are better read as one goes along (footnotes might have served the reader better).
This book passes my 'bus test': it made me want to get on the bus to work, so that I could continue reading it!
25 of 27 people found the following review helpful
By Ilona
Format:Hardcover
This is one of the best scientific books I have ever read and understood,and written for the non-scientist!! Lane takes the reader beautifully from the origins of life to the finality of death. The chapter on the origins and evolution of sight stands out especially, while the one on photosynthesis isn't far behind.
I will reread it endlessly.
I will reread it endlessly.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is well worth a read, as unlike many others in this field, the author discusses in detail, a variety of different topics. These topices range from basic cell structure, to muscles, sight, consciousness and death to name a few. For me, some chapters were fasinating (Consciousness)and not long enough, while a couple of others (muscles), were a bit on the long side. It is almost like ten different books in one, and if it were not for a couple of chapters, which I found repetitive, then it would be a definite 5 stars.
Having said that, if you are at all interested in the evolution of life, buy this book.
Having said that, if you are at all interested in the evolution of life, buy this book.
20 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
As the book's subtitle says, this covers ten significant evolutionary inventions, including movement, sex, consciousness, death and so on. Each is covered in some detail (although necessarily abridged and summarised) from a genetic/molecular biology perspective, but also from a more thoughtful esoteric standpoint.
Despite having read a number of similar books, including all of Dawkins' work and Steve Jones' Almost Like a Bear, I still found this hard going in places (quite a few places actually!) and, from that point of view, readers uninitiated in the world of evolutionary biology should approach it with a little caution. Nevertheless it is still a very well written, concise, readable book and the author's passion and humour show through. If you're willing to be flummoxed in places on the first pass (never anything to be ashamed of, I believe), it's quite suitable for the lay reader.
I still think that The Blind Watchmaker and The Selfish Gene tower above all other entries in the popular evolutionary biology genre and these are, I suspect, useful reading before you pick this one up. However the strong point of this book is that it brings the subject as bang up to date as any popular published work can and it is invaluable in that respect.
Despite having read a number of similar books, including all of Dawkins' work and Steve Jones' Almost Like a Bear, I still found this hard going in places (quite a few places actually!) and, from that point of view, readers uninitiated in the world of evolutionary biology should approach it with a little caution. Nevertheless it is still a very well written, concise, readable book and the author's passion and humour show through. If you're willing to be flummoxed in places on the first pass (never anything to be ashamed of, I believe), it's quite suitable for the lay reader.
I still think that The Blind Watchmaker and The Selfish Gene tower above all other entries in the popular evolutionary biology genre and these are, I suspect, useful reading before you pick this one up. However the strong point of this book is that it brings the subject as bang up to date as any popular published work can and it is invaluable in that respect.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By C. A. Gallagher
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Life Ascending
In Life Ascending, biochemist Nick Lane examines his particular candidates for the top ten "inventions" of evolution. These are; the origin of life, DNA, photosynthesis, the eukaryotic cell, sex, movement, sight, hot blood, consciousness and death.
The book itself is a fascinating account of some of the central themes of life, from the origin of life itself, through to consciousness and, finally, death. It is extremely well written by a passionate scientist and provides a clear and lucid insight into current scientific thinking regarding the evolution of the subjects selected for inclusion in the book. While the whole book is comendable, one of my favourite chapters is the very first, which explains how the discovery of submarine hydrothermal and alkaline vents, their structure and chemistry have transformed our understanding of the origin of life on this planet.
The author isn't afraid to tackle some difficult concepts head on and the first 3 chapters in particular deal with some pretty complex biochemistry. Whilst this is obviously intended as a popular science book, I would suggest that it possibly isn't all that suitable for the evolution/science novice.
Overall, a fascinating and well written account of our current understanding of the evolution of the chosen subjects, although if you are looking for a more "introductory" text, or a more general overview of evolution, I would suggest something like Jerry Coyne's excellent; "Why Evolution is True" or Dawkins' most recent offering; "The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution".
In Life Ascending, biochemist Nick Lane examines his particular candidates for the top ten "inventions" of evolution. These are; the origin of life, DNA, photosynthesis, the eukaryotic cell, sex, movement, sight, hot blood, consciousness and death.
The book itself is a fascinating account of some of the central themes of life, from the origin of life itself, through to consciousness and, finally, death. It is extremely well written by a passionate scientist and provides a clear and lucid insight into current scientific thinking regarding the evolution of the subjects selected for inclusion in the book. While the whole book is comendable, one of my favourite chapters is the very first, which explains how the discovery of submarine hydrothermal and alkaline vents, their structure and chemistry have transformed our understanding of the origin of life on this planet.
The author isn't afraid to tackle some difficult concepts head on and the first 3 chapters in particular deal with some pretty complex biochemistry. Whilst this is obviously intended as a popular science book, I would suggest that it possibly isn't all that suitable for the evolution/science novice.
Overall, a fascinating and well written account of our current understanding of the evolution of the chosen subjects, although if you are looking for a more "introductory" text, or a more general overview of evolution, I would suggest something like Jerry Coyne's excellent; "Why Evolution is True" or Dawkins' most recent offering; "The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution".
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
brilliant
have devoured it and am reading it now a second time, just to make sure i haven't missed anything. Also, the extensive referencing allows for interesting follow-up reading. Read more
Published 6 days ago by Simone Fleuren
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Refreshing new look at a subject that is somewhat dominated by...
I started this book and couldnt put it down till it was finished. It was very well written, and easy to follow. Read more
Published 26 days ago by ORWELL BOOKS
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great
Came quickly, and it is such a good book with some real insights into the origin of life, it makes so much sense and really impressed me! Biology enthusiasts would love this.
Published 1 month ago by Jenna Hardwick
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great read!
I found this book contains just the right amount of scientific discussion without geting lost in the details. The analogies tend to be a bit forced, but overall a great read!
Published 2 months ago by Matthew Hawkins
3.0 out of 5 stars
Very comprehensive, but too technical to have popular appeal
I was excited about reading this book as I am interested in evolution, having read about the subject in Richard Dawkins' books. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Caspar Thomas
5.0 out of 5 stars
Evolution up dated
I have been teaching biology for many years to teenagers. I do my best to keep up to date by reading scientific articles on the internet but I wanted a "good read" for the summer... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Nico
4.0 out of 5 stars
Author's broad knowledge and academic credentials shine through
Nick Lane is (to this day) a research fellow at UCL in the Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, so who better to bring us this countdown of 'The Ten Great Inventions... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Ben
4.0 out of 5 stars
All about Everything
This book is great, but not made for skim reading! If you want to know about life, its all here. It is mostly accessible, but gets a little mindwarping in places, but a little... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Al
5.0 out of 5 stars
Finest popular science
Nick Lane is surely one of the finest popular science writers of our time. In "Life Ascending", he crafts a well paced narrative from both historical and cutting-edge science. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Dr. A. V. Conradie
5.0 out of 5 stars
A contemporary successor to 'On the Origin of Species'
1. A wonderful book in which the author outlines in detail 10 key biochemical ideas which add considerable weight in support of Darwin's theory of evolution. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Mr. S. Varaitch
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