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Life in Darwin's Universe: Evolution and the Cosmos
Examines the creation of the universe, the origins of life on Earth, the many paths of evolution, and the possibilities of life on other planets with environmental conditions similar to those on Earth
Hardcover
First published March 1, 1987
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 23, 2024
“If you pulled a camel through the eye of a needle, it would come out as a thread – and so would anything else”!
In LIFE IN DARWIN’S UNIVERSE, author Gene Bylinsky posits that certain universal biological realities will demand that whether life occurs on land, in the air, in the sea, on Earth - indeed anywhere in our galaxy or others in this wide universe of ours – chemical constraints and convergent evolution will result in a reasonably familiar “life as we know it” – carbon-based comprised primarily of the four main atomic building blocks - carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. On the other hand, intelligence – particularly, what he defines as cognitive intelligence – may well have results that are vastly different from the humanoids that science fiction and Hollywood have made so familiar. There is no compelling arguments that forbid the development of an apex intelligent species in the exobiological Goldilocks zone of other planets taking the form of birds, reptiles and amphibians, octopi, marsupials,or insects, for example.
“We have a worrisome tendency to think that what we see is all that can be. But it seems very clear that if even minor events had gone slightly differently billions of years ago the organisms today would also be very different; ; this is particularly true on a molecular biological level. Of course, convergent evolution occurs when there is one best solution to a given physical problem as, for example, imaging light at optical frequencies or high-speed transport in water. But why five fingers? Why fingers rather than tentacles? … It’s easy to think of a wide range of anatomies, physiologies, and sensory modalities that have not been adopted by humans or indeed by any other creatures on the Earth.”
There is no reason to think that the universe has not created such a thing as higher “life as we don’t know it”!
LIFE IN DARWIN’S UNIVERSE is light, often whimsical, and accessible even by biology phobic popular science fans like myself. At the same time, it is informative, interesting, entertaining, thought-provoking and compelling in its discussions of evolution, and the discussion of alternative forms of life and cognitive intelligence that, but for a string of minor evolution driving events, might have occurred on earth. Given the realities of large numbers, the proposition that they could occur elsewhere in the universe is persuasive.
Thoroughly enjoyable and definitely recommended.
Paul Weiss
In LIFE IN DARWIN’S UNIVERSE, author Gene Bylinsky posits that certain universal biological realities will demand that whether life occurs on land, in the air, in the sea, on Earth - indeed anywhere in our galaxy or others in this wide universe of ours – chemical constraints and convergent evolution will result in a reasonably familiar “life as we know it” – carbon-based comprised primarily of the four main atomic building blocks - carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. On the other hand, intelligence – particularly, what he defines as cognitive intelligence – may well have results that are vastly different from the humanoids that science fiction and Hollywood have made so familiar. There is no compelling arguments that forbid the development of an apex intelligent species in the exobiological Goldilocks zone of other planets taking the form of birds, reptiles and amphibians, octopi, marsupials,or insects, for example.
“We have a worrisome tendency to think that what we see is all that can be. But it seems very clear that if even minor events had gone slightly differently billions of years ago the organisms today would also be very different; ; this is particularly true on a molecular biological level. Of course, convergent evolution occurs when there is one best solution to a given physical problem as, for example, imaging light at optical frequencies or high-speed transport in water. But why five fingers? Why fingers rather than tentacles? … It’s easy to think of a wide range of anatomies, physiologies, and sensory modalities that have not been adopted by humans or indeed by any other creatures on the Earth.”
There is no reason to think that the universe has not created such a thing as higher “life as we don’t know it”!
LIFE IN DARWIN’S UNIVERSE is light, often whimsical, and accessible even by biology phobic popular science fans like myself. At the same time, it is informative, interesting, entertaining, thought-provoking and compelling in its discussions of evolution, and the discussion of alternative forms of life and cognitive intelligence that, but for a string of minor evolution driving events, might have occurred on earth. Given the realities of large numbers, the proposition that they could occur elsewhere in the universe is persuasive.
Thoroughly enjoyable and definitely recommended.
Paul Weiss
August 23, 2007
This is one of my favorite books ever. I remember my father having this book back when I was born, 1981, same year as it was published. When I was younger I was into the imaginative drawings of the creatures that may crop in non-earth environments. These fond memories got me to search out the book and buy it as an adult. While the book may be outdated it is still fascinating and informative on evolution and what life may be possible in our universe. An easy winner of my Best Book Ever award.
July 27, 2020
A wonderful, extremely original book. Written in the early 80s, this book uses the continents (especially Australia) and their varied plant and wildlife as a sort of "microcosm" to imagine what life might be like on other planets. There is an old audio book out there somewhere, which has that sort of "transports you" quality.
June 2, 2022
Since there were no characters per say i would say how the author explained everything really added a easy view into what darwinism was. My favorite part of the book would have to be when life first started and DNA was first getting made with the deoxyribose and phosphate backbone and the base pairs getting made. the writing style was straight to the point and that really helped understand everything going on because there was nothing that had to be side explained to make to confusing. the novel moved a little quicker than most people would want but it goes back billions and billions of year to the big bang theory when (i believe) the universe started. i can make a connection because u believe in the big bang theory and how life started with the deoxyribose and phosphates.
February 11, 2021
gene bylinsky is my grandfather, he died in 2008 when i was 3. i didn't know him that much so all of my memories of my grandfather are in this book which i finished yesterday after seeing it on my dads bookshelf. there might be some bias in this review, and this might be note much to say, because if i was 3 in 2008 you can do the math to how old i am now, but this is one of the most interesting books i have ever read, and if i have to remember my grandpa by only this book, which i am pretty much already doing, it wont be the worse thing in the world.
March 23, 2021
A rather simplistic, and unavoidably outdated overview of evolutionary and earth history, setting up grounded speculation on some of the evolutionary paths alien life might be expected to take, and why technological intelligence is in no way inevitable. He makes a good argument against the likelihood of non-carbon biochemistries, but has an oddly fervent predilection towards tetrapodal chauvinism.
An excellent companion book for Civilized Life in the Universe by Basalla, and Extraterrestrial Civilizations by Asimov.
An excellent companion book for Civilized Life in the Universe by Basalla, and Extraterrestrial Civilizations by Asimov.
December 22, 2022
There but for fortune
We start out with speculation on how real-life began in the universe and expand to speculation of what could have been and maybe.
Contents:
Building Life’s Stage
The Curtain Rises
Conquest of the Land
The Turns and Twists of Evolution on Earth
Dictates of the Environment
The Look of Life
Ocean Kingdoms and the Insect Wolds
Life beyond Darwin
Future Man
Planet Search
Contact!
This is a good starter book but keep in mind the copyright is 1981 and concepts (even history) changes constantly.
We start out with speculation on how real-life began in the universe and expand to speculation of what could have been and maybe.
Contents:
Building Life’s Stage
The Curtain Rises
Conquest of the Land
The Turns and Twists of Evolution on Earth
Dictates of the Environment
The Look of Life
Ocean Kingdoms and the Insect Wolds
Life beyond Darwin
Future Man
Planet Search
Contact!
This is a good starter book but keep in mind the copyright is 1981 and concepts (even history) changes constantly.
October 11, 2021
Review pending
July 17, 2024
This was a very interesting read, I loved it!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews