Evolution: A Little History of a Great Idea

Wooden Books

by Gerard Cheshire

With more than half the population of the US not believing that humans are descended from apes, and to prepare the way for the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin's The Origin of the Species throughout 2009, Wooden Books proudly presents the smallest, most up to date little book on evolution ever assembled. Covering the story of Darwin's great idea, science writer Gerard Cheshire explores the evolutionary path of neo-Darwinism itself and shows how Lamarckian ideas still have a role to play in evolutionary theory. With a rich array of rarely published period prints from the Jennings Collection in Bath, and examples of the the latest genetic research this book asks some huge questions about life in the universe and includes the following - The causes of genetic from Mendel to mitosis. - Sexual selection - how the peaock got its tail. - Mimicry and camouflage, miracles made easy over time. - Simple biotics, prions, viruses and bacteria - examples of adaptive DNA. - Unlike outcomes - the success of altruistic strategies. - Convergent evolution. Why sharks are the same shape in different seas. - Natural selection, the reason for death, and modern systems designs. - The cosmological anthropic principle, and how the entire universe could be an evolved system.

Genres: Science, Evolution

64 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[David Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the way this book was done. The book doesn't focus largely on Darwin himself, instead touching briefly on many important evolutionary concepts, and the different people involved with their understanding. The illustrations accompanying each chapter are fantastic - some of the best I've ever seen on the subject.

[Peter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations as always with Wooden Books, but there were quite a few annoying issues where captions had been cut off mid-sentence.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty nifty read. A nice refresher on the inner workings of living things. I learned a lot, and have a more solid understanding of fundamentals of the topic. I really enjoy the diagrams and writing style. It also covers trans-humanism, Gaia Theory, memetics, and extra-terrestrial life. Just plain nifty.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing illustrations.