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Life Evolving: Molecules, Mind, and Meaning
A Nobel laureate discusses findings in the biological sciences in the past half century and explains what they reveal about the nature of life.
360 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2002
8 people are currently reading
238 people want to read
About the author
Christian de Duve
50 books8 followersChristian de Duve (1917-2013) was a Belgian scientist and author. He discovered the cellular components called lysosomes and peroxisomes and researched insulin and glucagon. He was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1974 with Albert Claude and George E. Palade "for their discoveries concerning the structural and functional organization of the cell".
Born outside of Belgium, de Duve and his family returned to Belgium when the First World War ended, having fled the country for this reason.
He started studying medicine in 1934 at the Catholic University of Leuven and graduated in 1941. Being a gifted student, he started working in the laboratory of professor J.P. Bouckaert who was trying to uncover the mechanism of action of insulin. Believing the answer could be found in biochemistry, de Duve started studying chemistry and graduated in 1946. He was awarded a doctorate in 1945 for his doctoral thesis "Glucose, Insuline et Diabète".
He became a professor at the Catholic University of Leuven in 1951 and later at the Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL). He started working at the Rockefeller Institute (now Rockefeller University) in 1962 dividing his time between Belgium and the United States. He also worked at the Medical Nobel Institute in Sweden and the University of Washington, USA. He founded the International Institute of Cellular and Molecular Pathology (now known as the de Duve Institute) in Brussels in 1974. He became emeritus professor in Belgium in 1985 and in New York in 1988. He wrote several books on the origin of life and biology.
Born outside of Belgium, de Duve and his family returned to Belgium when the First World War ended, having fled the country for this reason.
He started studying medicine in 1934 at the Catholic University of Leuven and graduated in 1941. Being a gifted student, he started working in the laboratory of professor J.P. Bouckaert who was trying to uncover the mechanism of action of insulin. Believing the answer could be found in biochemistry, de Duve started studying chemistry and graduated in 1946. He was awarded a doctorate in 1945 for his doctoral thesis "Glucose, Insuline et Diabète".
He became a professor at the Catholic University of Leuven in 1951 and later at the Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL). He started working at the Rockefeller Institute (now Rockefeller University) in 1962 dividing his time between Belgium and the United States. He also worked at the Medical Nobel Institute in Sweden and the University of Washington, USA. He founded the International Institute of Cellular and Molecular Pathology (now known as the de Duve Institute) in Brussels in 1974. He became emeritus professor in Belgium in 1985 and in New York in 1988. He wrote several books on the origin of life and biology.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 22, 2013
Absolutely fantastic book! Covers evolution from the first RNA molecules all the way 'up' to human beings with the major evolutionary waypoints (RNA -> DNA -> first cells -> prokaryotes -> eukaryotes -> first pluricellular organisms -> 'visible' life: plants, animals -> brains -> becoming human -> cultural evolution) covered in sufficient detail to really learn something without getting too technical for the lay reader. Written by Nobel laureate De Duve, a cell biologist/biochemist who obviously knows what he's talking about. Aside from the biological facts and theories he also gives his personal view on life (origin, extraterrestrial, ...), science, religion and the future of humankind. Even though I don't agree with him on all points, his vision is clearly thoroughly contemplated, often wise and always thought provoking (got some serious inspiration for writing a sci-fi novel from reading this as well!).
Aside from the substance of the book, it is very well written and presented. Style is not too dry, conversational and informal, often quite humorous and always interesting. De Duve builds his story from the ground up, no prerequisite knowledge required. You only need a keen, open mind to really appreciate what he has to say.
All in all a must read for anyone interested in life, the universe (and the place of humankind in it) and everything.
Aside from the substance of the book, it is very well written and presented. Style is not too dry, conversational and informal, often quite humorous and always interesting. De Duve builds his story from the ground up, no prerequisite knowledge required. You only need a keen, open mind to really appreciate what he has to say.
All in all a must read for anyone interested in life, the universe (and the place of humankind in it) and everything.
January 30, 2022
Not great. The author likes to draw comparisons with Catholicism, which I find confusing as I do not share this background.
The first half is about the development of cells and genetic material. I didn't learn much from this section. The text is dry, and there are no illustrations (except in chapter headings) or chemical formulae/equations, making it hard to follow (the reproductive cycle of a plant needs diagrams because I find it confusing). I didn't learn very much from this section, although I was surprised by the explanation of how vaccines work.
The part about eukaryotic cells is confusing. The author promotes the idea that these did not come about through the fusion of a archaeon and a bacterium (and he uses "bacteria" to describe both when "prokaryote" would do, which is also confusing). This leads to the conclusion that eukaryotes developed completely independently despite sharing characteristics of both sorts of prokaryotic cells. I also wonder where a eukaryotic cell without mitochondria would have found the energy to perform the energy-intensive tasks that he postulates - like growing substantially or eating other cells. I get the impression he didn't like Lynn Margulis' theory about endosymbiosis.
The second half is philosophy and speculation about the mind and about humanity - I got bored and skipped large sections.
The author doesn't like environmentalists, calling them anti-science.
Better books exist, e.g. books by Nick Lane.
The first half is about the development of cells and genetic material. I didn't learn much from this section. The text is dry, and there are no illustrations (except in chapter headings) or chemical formulae/equations, making it hard to follow (the reproductive cycle of a plant needs diagrams because I find it confusing). I didn't learn very much from this section, although I was surprised by the explanation of how vaccines work.
The part about eukaryotic cells is confusing. The author promotes the idea that these did not come about through the fusion of a archaeon and a bacterium (and he uses "bacteria" to describe both when "prokaryote" would do, which is also confusing). This leads to the conclusion that eukaryotes developed completely independently despite sharing characteristics of both sorts of prokaryotic cells. I also wonder where a eukaryotic cell without mitochondria would have found the energy to perform the energy-intensive tasks that he postulates - like growing substantially or eating other cells. I get the impression he didn't like Lynn Margulis' theory about endosymbiosis.
The second half is philosophy and speculation about the mind and about humanity - I got bored and skipped large sections.
The author doesn't like environmentalists, calling them anti-science.
Better books exist, e.g. books by Nick Lane.
March 10, 2023
This book is an interesting/fascinating book that I've ever read, its interesting to me about knowing the origins of life and how the author put time and effort into this research, it was really informative on how life went through a lot of changes to use becoming humans, what really got me was how it also said stuff about how religion says other wise about how life really started but in different opinions from different perspectives.
January 8, 2023
This was a good read to start the new year with and hadn't I already read most of Nick Lane's work, I'm sure I'd be even more impressed with it.
"Life Evolving" is already two decades old, but it is still very relevant and informative and offers lots of insights to enjoy and ruminate over. One of my favorite bits is the proposed peroxisome origin as the first endosymbiont, a hypothesis that's not necessarily supported by today's evidence but is still wildly exciting.
Also, de Duve's mindfulness around the subject of religion is very valuable for me, who is much more in Dawkins' religion-sucks! camp.
"Life Evolving" is already two decades old, but it is still very relevant and informative and offers lots of insights to enjoy and ruminate over. One of my favorite bits is the proposed peroxisome origin as the first endosymbiont, a hypothesis that's not necessarily supported by today's evidence but is still wildly exciting.
Also, de Duve's mindfulness around the subject of religion is very valuable for me, who is much more in Dawkins' religion-sucks! camp.
March 20, 2013
I am still reading this one.
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January 26, 2014one of the best books on evolution of life . by a nobel laureate. trying to reread it.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews