Life Ascending

The Ten Great Inventions of Evolution

Nick Lane

ISBN 1861978480

ISBN 13 9781861978486

April 2009

Price £18.99

Hardback, 288 pp.

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Subject: Popular Science

Other formats available: Paperback

How did life invent itself? Where did DNA come from? How did humans develop sight? Nick Lane draws upon the findings of powerful new research to piece together the mosaic of life’s remarkable history.

Powerful new research methods are providing fresh and vivid insights into the makeup of life. Comparing gene sequences, examining the atomic structure of proteins and looking into the geochemistry of rocks have all helped to explain creation and evolution in more detail than ever before. Nick Lane uses the full extent of this new knowledge to describe the ten greatest inventions of life, based on their historical impact, role in living organisms today and relevance to current controversies. DNA, sex, sight and consciousnesses are just four examples.

Lane also explains how these findings have come about, and the extent to which they can be relied upon. The result is a gripping and lucid account of the ingenuity of nature, and a book which is essential reading for anyone who has ever questioned the science behind the glories of everyday life.

The New Scientist magazine reviewed it in its 15th April edition:

"THE story of how life evolved on Earth has been told many times, but in Life Ascending, Nick Lane comes at it from a fresh angle. He takes us behind the scenes to look at the deep reasons and connections underlying 10 key evolutionary inventions, including sex, warm blood, photosynthesis and death.

What makes this such a great read is that Lane, a biochemist by training, does not simply rehash the standard evolutionary tales - unlike many books published recently. Instead, he is familiar with all the latest research and has made up his own mind about who is right. The result is an original and awe-inspiring account. The first two chapters are the most coherent and convincing summaries of the dawn of life and of DNA that I have ever read.

Even if Lane hasn't got all the answers right, a possibility he openly acknowledges, he is asking the right questions. One of his many thought-provoking ideas is that we would make far more progress studying the underlying causes of ageing than by studying specific age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's.

Lane's writing can be self-indulgent at times, so the book could have benefited from tougher editing. I also felt he bit off more than he could chew in the chapter on consciousness, which as a result is less satisfying than the other sections.

These quibbles apart, this is an exhilarating tour of some of the most profound and important ideas in biology. Anyone interested in life should read it. Highly recommended."

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‘Original and awe-inspiring... an exhilarating tour of some of the most profound and important ideas in biology.’
— Michael La Page, New Scientist

‘Excellent and imaginative and, similar to life itself, the book is full of surprises.... Life Ascending is a fascinating book for anyone interested in life and evolution, and how these discoveries were made’
— Lewis Wolpert, Nature