The vital question : energy, evolution, and the origins of complex life
(Book)

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Published
New York : W.W. Norton & Company, [2015].
Edition
First American edition.
Physical Desc
360 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm
Status
Redwood Campus
QH325 .L36 2015
1 available

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Published
New York : W.W. Norton & Company, [2015].
Format
Book
Edition
First American edition.
Language
English

Notes

Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 306-333) and index.
Description
"To explain the mystery of how life evolved on Earth, Nick Lane explores the deep link between energy and genes. The Earth teems with life: in its oceans, forests, skies and cities. Yet there's a black hole at the heart of biology. We do not know why complex life is the way it is, or, for that matter, how life first began. In The Vital Question, award-winning author and biochemist Nick Lane radically reframes evolutionary history, putting forward a solution to conundrums that have puzzled generations of scientists. For two and a half billion years, from the very origins of life, single-celled organisms such as bacteria evolved without changing their basic form. Then, on just one occasion in four billion years, they made the jump to complexity. All complex life, from mushrooms to man, shares puzzling features, such as sex, which are unknown in bacteria. How and why did this radical transformation happen? The answer, Lane argues, lies in energy: all life on Earth lives off a voltage with the strength of a lightning bolt. Building on the pillars of evolutionary theory, Lane's hypothesis draws on cutting-edge research into the link between energy and cell biology, in order to deliver a compelling account of evolution from the very origins of life to the emergence of multicellular organisms, while offering deep insights into our own lives and deaths. Both rigorous and enchanting, The Vital Question provides a solution to life's vital question: why are we as we are, and indeed, why are we here at all?"--Publisher's description.

Citations

APA Citation, 7th Edition (style guide)

Lane, N. (2015). The vital question: energy, evolution, and the origins of complex life (First American edition.). W.W. Norton & Company.

Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)

Lane, Nick, 1967-. 2015. The Vital Question: Energy, Evolution, and the Origins of Complex Life. W.W. Norton & Company.

Chicago / Turabian - Humanities (Notes and Bibliography) Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)

Lane, Nick, 1967-. The Vital Question: Energy, Evolution, and the Origins of Complex Life W.W. Norton & Company, 2015.

MLA Citation, 9th Edition (style guide)

Lane, Nick. The Vital Question: Energy, Evolution, and the Origins of Complex Life First American edition., W.W. Norton & Company, 2015.

Note! Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy. Citation formats are based on standards as of August 2021.

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