- Hardcover: 352 pages
- Publisher: HarperCollins; Film and TV tie-in ed edition (7 Feb 2000)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 000255948X
- ISBN-13: 978-0002559485
- Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 731,446 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Amazon.co.uk Review
Quantum Evolution tackles the hairiest heresy of evolutionary biology, the one most likely to get scientists figuratively burned at the stake: the notion that any force more selective than blind chance could drive mutation. Such "directed evolution" smacks too much of a retreat into creationism for most science-minded readers to be comfortable with, but there's no a priorireason to reject the idea. Molecular biologist Johnjoe McFadden risks the Inquisition by suggesting just such a possibility in Quantum Evolution: The New Science of Life. Directed at a general but somewhat sophisticated readership, it covers the basics of both standard evolutionary theory and quantum-level physics, then synthesizes them in an interesting theory of made-to-order mutation that explains enough to warrant attention and is, importantly, testable.
McFadden's writing is clear and sharp, and shows a high regard for the reader's intelligence and patience for complex ideas. This is no airplane book--except for those already well-versed in the latest in both evolutionary theory and subatomic physics. The rewards of reading are great, and the author bows just enough to established theory that he might meet the fate of his intellectual predecessors. The ideas underlying Quantum Evolution may be right or wrong, but they challenge received wisdom without plunging into dogmatism--and that's good science. --Rob Lightner --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Product Description
Quantum Evolution presents a revolutionary new scientific theory by asking: is there a force of will behind evolution? In his astonishing first book, Johnjoe McFadden shows that there is.
How did life start? How did something capable of replicating itself emerge from the primordial soup? How did it defy the odds? And how did it carry on seeking out the very mutations that enable survival?
Living organisms are controlled by a single molecule – DNA. Yet the study of physics tells us that the behaviour of single molecules is also controlled by the laws of quantum mechanics. The implications of this for biology have not been fully thought through. Until now.
In this brilliant debut, Johnjoe McFadden puts forward a theory of quantum evolution. He shows how living organisms have the ability to will themselves into action. Indeed, such an ability may be life’s most fundamental attribute. This has radical implications. Evolution may not be random at all, as recent evolutionary theories have taught: rather, cells may, in certain circumstances, be able to choose to mutate particular genes that provide an advantage in the environment in which the cell finds itself. This ‘will’ – described by McFadden as ‘the life force’ – has startling implications. It is at the root of consciousness and free-will and provides a new understanding of the origins of life and the purpose of death.
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Starlight glistens on a spaceship's silvery hull as it cruises, unseen and unmanned, amongst the planets of a distant solar system. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Starlight glistens on a spaceship's silvery hull as it cruises, unseen and unmanned, amongst the planets of a distant solar system. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"A Sense of Wonder!" - do not miss this!,
This review is from: Quantum Evolution: Life in the Multiverse (Paperback)
"Quantum Evolution" is a pedagogic masterpiece. It is - amongst many other things - the best "crash-course" in quantum mechanics you can find; commonly abstract and hard to understand subjects are explained thoroughly and comprehensive without bewildering mathematics. Carefulness with facts is another attribute of this book. It is an enthralling introduction to the fantastic world of quantum microbiology and it connects the world of the infinitesimal small with the greatest questions humans have asked since the dawn of society and civilisation - "what is life?".It deals with information theory on the quantum "level" - and express an interesting and logical hypothesis on the role of quantum physics in evolution. It is a book that has given me the "sense of wonder" reading. I hope that Johnjoe McFadden takes his time writing more books - he has shown to be one of the few having the gift to communicate in-depth knowledge.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The cutting edge of Biological Science,
By eupigeon@globalnet.co.uk (Stockpot UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Quantum Evolution: The New Science of the Life Force (Hardcover)
This is a new breed of book about scientific subjects - Today science has moved beyond the experimental into areas where the only possible exploration and development of ideas is more speculative. This speculation involves a multi discipline method from what was previously Chemistry, Physics, Biology into combinations af the leading edge of all three. Quantum Evolution fits easily into this new multi discipline category - it is a joy to read simply because it has, by it nature, a wide a varied speculative approach rather than dry detailed science requiring a specalist knowledge. The reader, can quite easly, have opinions almost as valid as the the author in this new type voyage of discovery.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Gifted Explanation,
By
This review is from: Quantum Evolution: The New Science of Life (Hardcover)
I found the idea that some sort of quantum computing could be the basis for the evolution of living things quite fascinating. The author is patient and writes in a way that takes the non scientist into the mysteries of life at the molecular level, quantum mechanics, quantum computing and the nature of consciousness. His description of these things to a lay reader is quite gifted. In fact it’s the best non-mathematical description of quantum mechanics I’ve come across, it’s worth reading for this alone. The explanation of how life comes to form irreducibly complex processes is the most plausible I’ve come across. The last section on consciousness might be a theory too far but builds up in the same logical steps and is a great piece of work in its own right worth a book to itself. This is not a fantasy world of some mystic either, the author is a reader in Molecular Biology at the University of Surrey. I would recommend it strongly.
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