A World From Dust

How the Periodic Table Shaped Life

Inbunden, Engelska, 2016

695 kr

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Beskrivning

A World From Dust describes how a set of chemical rules combined with the principles of evolution in order to create an environment in which life as we know it could unfold. Beginning with simple mathematics, these predictable rules led to the advent of the planet itself, as well as cells, organs and organelles, ecosystems, and increasingly complex life forms. McFarland provides an accessible discussion of a geological history as well, describing how the inorganic matter on Earth underwent chemical reactions with air and water, allowing for life to emerge from the world's first rocks. He traces the history of life all the way to modern neuroscience, and shows how the bioelectric signals that make up the human brain were formed. Most popular science books on the topic present either the physics of how the universe formed, or the biology of how complex life came about; this book's approach would be novel in that it condenses in an engaging way the chemistry that links the two fields. This book is an accessible and multidisciplinary look at how life on our planet came to be, and how it continues to develop and change even today.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum:2016-07-14
Mått:239 x 165 x 25 mm
Vikt:635 g
Format:Inbunden
Språk:Engelska
Antal sidor:352
Förlag:OUP USA
ISBN:9780190275013

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Mer om författaren

Ben McFarland teaches biochemistry and chemistry at Seattle Pacific University in Seattle WA. He received a dual B.S. in Chemistry and Technical Writing from the University of Florida and a Ph.D. in Biomolecular Structure and Design from the University of Washington. His research uses the rules of chemistry to redesign immune system proteins.

Recensioner i media

The narrative should appeal to anyone interested in viewing chemistry and biology from a general, perhaps poetic, perspective. Although intended for a general audience, some background knowledge of chemistry, biology, and evolution of the world is probably needed to fully appreciate the story. The style is informal, and the presentation includes many intriguing real-world contexts and examples, and numerous thought-provoking metaphors and analogies.

Innehållsförteckning

Chapter 1: Arsenic Life? Chapter 2: A Tapestry from Three Threads Chapter 3: Unfolding the Periodic Table Chapter 4: The Triple-Point Planet Chapter 5: Seven Clues for Quickening the Rocks Chapter 6: Wheels Within Wheels Chapter 7: The Colorful Path to Oxygen Chapter 8: One Step Back, Two Steps Forward Chapter 9: Cracked Open and Knit Together by Oxygen Chapter 10: The End of (Chemical) Evolution Chapter 11: How Chemistry Shaped History, Through Words Chapter 12: Cosmos and Chaos