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This title in other formats:

The Origins of Life: From the Birth of Life to the Origin of Language

by John M Smith

The Origins of Life: From the Birth of Life to the Origin of Language Cover

ISBN13: 9780192862099
ISBN10: 019286209x
Condition: Standard
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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

When John Maynard Smith and Eors Szathmary published The Major Transitions in Evolution, it was seen as a major work in biology. Nature hailed it as a book of "grand and daunting sweep.... A splendid and rewarding tour de force." And New Scientist wrote that it captured "the essence of modern biology," calling it "an extremely significant book which, as a bonus, is very readable."

Now, in The Origins of Life, Maynard Smith and Szathmary have completely rewritten Transitions to bring their ideas to a wider audience of general readers. Here is a brilliant, state-of-the-art account of how life evolved on earth, focusing primarily on six major transitions--dramatic breakthroughs in the way that information was passed between generations. The authors offer illuminating explorations of the origin of life itself, the arrival of the first cells with nuclei, the first reproduction by sexual means, the appearance of multicellular plants and animals, the emergence of cooperation and of animal societies, and the birth of language.

The Origins of Life represents the thinking of two leading scientists on questions that engage us all--how life began and how it gradually evolved from tiny invisible cells into whales and trees and human beings.

Review:

"Moving speedily from epoch to epoch, fueled by a few important concepts (such as the division of labor) and explaining all the genetics they use, Smith and Szathmary show `just how difficult it has been to evolve complex organisms whose genes cooperate rather than compete'.... Compact, dense, formidable yet accessible, this book exposes readers to the cutting edge in theoretical evolutionary biology."--Publishers Weekly

Synopsis:

This text proposes that during evolution there have been major transitions in the way information is passed between generations. These transitions include the appearance of the first replicating molecules, the emergence of co-operative animal societies, and the unique language ability of humans.

Synopsis:

When John Maynard Smith and Eors Szathmary published The Major Transitions in Evolution, it was seen as a major work in biology. Nature hailed it as a book of "grand and daunting sweep...A splendid and rewarding tour de force." And New Scientist wrote that it captured "the essence of modern biology," calling it "an extremely significant book which, as a bonus, is very readable." Now, in The Origins of Life, Maynard Smith and Szathmary have completely rewritten Transitions to bring their ideas to a wider audience of general readers. Here is a brilliant, original picture of how life evolved on earth, focusing primarily on six major transitionsdramatic breakthroughs in the way that information was passed between generations. The authors offer illuminating explorations of the origin of life itself, the arrival of the first cells with nuclei, the first reproduction by sexual means, the appearance of multicellular plants and animals, the emergence of cooperative animal societies, and the birth of language.

The Origins of Life represents the thinking of two leading scientists on questions that engage us allhow life began and how it gradually evolved from tiny invisible cells into whales and trees and human beings.

About the Author

John Maynard Smith is an internationally renowned biologiest, widely respected for the originality of his ideas and quality of his thinking. He is a Professor in the School of Biological Sciences, University of Sussex. Eors Szathmary is a Professor at the Collegium Budapest, in Hungary.

Product Details

ISBN:
9780192862099
Subtitle:
From the Birth of Life to the Origin of Language
Author:
Smith, John Maynard
Author:
Maynard Smith, John
Author:
Szathmary, Eors
Publisher:
Oxford University Press, USA
Location:
Oxford
Subject:
General science
Subject:
Philosophy & Social Aspects
Subject:
Evolution (Biology)
Subject:
Genetic transformation
Subject:
Life Sciences - Biology - General
Subject:
Life Sciences - Evolution
Subject:
Life Sciences | Evolutionary Biology
Edition Description:
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Series Volume:
95-01
Publication Date:
March 2000
Binding:
Paperback
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Illustrations:
Y
Pages:
192
Dimensions:
7.82x5.02x.37 in. .29 lbs.

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