Neil Shubin – författare

‘Intimate and thoughtful… Exciting… [A] sweeping evolutionary history.’ ScienceThe author of the bestselling Your Inner Fish gives us a brilliant, up-to-date account of the great transformations in the history of life on Earth.This is a story full of surprises. If you think that feathers arose to help animals fly, or lungs to help them walk on land, you’d be in good company. You’d also be entirely wrong.Neil Shubin delves deep into the mystery of life, the ongoing revolutions in our understanding of how we got here, and brings us closer to answering one of the great questions – was life on earth inevitable…or was it all an accident?

Neil Shubin's Your Inner Fish is the unexpected story of how one creature's journey out of the water made the human body what it is today - and one man's voyage of discovery in search of our origins.Have you ever wondered why our bodies look and work and fail the way they do?One of the world's leading experts in evolutionary history, Neil Shubin reveals the secrets of our biology: why if we want to understand our limbs we should take a close look at Tiktaalik, the first fish capable of doing a push-up; why if we want to know why we hiccup, the answer is in the way fish breathe; and why it is that fish teeth are surprisingly similar to human breasts.'This would be Darwin's book of the year'Sunday Telegraph'An intelligent, exhilarating, and compelling scientific adventure story'Oliver Sacks, author of The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat'Delightful ... his enthusiasm is infectious'Steven D. Levitt, author of Freakonomics'Profoundly fascinating ... a magisterial work ... expressed so clearly and with such good humour'Financial Times'Will make you think about your organs in ways you have never considered before'Sunday TimesNeil Shubin is a palaeontologist in the great tradition of his mentors, Ernst Mayr and Stephen Jay Gould. He has discovered fossils around the world that have changed the way we think about many of the key transitions in evolution and has pioneered a new synthesis of expeditionary palaeontology, developmental genetics and genomics. He trained at Columbia, Harvard and Berkeley and is currently Chairman of the Department of Anatomy at the University of Chicago.

Your Inner Fish tells the extraordinary history of the human body and gives answers to some of the questions that only evolution can. Why do we look the way we do? Why are we able to do all the different things we do? And, finally, why do we fall ill in the way that we do? Neil Shubin draws on the latest genetic research and his huge experience as an expeditionary paleontologist to show the incredible impact the 3.5 billion year history of life has had on our bodies. He takes readers on a fascinating, unexpected journey and allows us to discover the deep connection to nature in our own bodies.

In The Universe Within, Neil Shubin, one of the world's leading experts, reveals to us the extraordinary cosmic and evolutionary adventure of our own bodies.During the past 13.7 billion years (or so) since the Big Bang, our universe has evolved, stars have formed and died and our planet congealed from the matter in space. For aeons, the earth has circled the sun while mountains, seas and entire continents have come and gone. Against this epic backdrop, humanity's place in the cosmos can look tiny and insignificant. But as Neil Shubin shows in this revelatory new book, the one place where universe, solar system and planet merge is inside your body. Shubin shows how the origin of the Moon is tied to our internal body clocks; how the vast amounts of water on Earth and inside all living creatures crossed the deepest stretches of space to us; how strange fluctuations in the orbits within our solar system have led to our irregular ice-ages; and how tiny imbalances in the chaos immediately after the Big Bang can explain why matter exists at all.Delving below the earth's surface and into the frozen Arctic, exploring the smallest atomic structures and the vast reaches of space, Neil Shubin uncovers a sublimely beautiful, almost magical truth: that in every one of us lies the most profound story of all - how we and our world came to be.'Shubin is not only a distinguished scientist, but a wonderfully lucid and elegant writer; he is an irrepressibly enthusiastic teacher ... a science writer of the first rank', Oliver SacksNeil Shubin is a palaeontologist in the great tradition of his mentors, Ernst Mayr and Stephen Jay Gould. He has discovered fossils around the world that have changed the way we think about many of the key transitions in evolution and has pioneered a new synthesis of expeditionary palaeontology, developmental genetics and genomics. He trained at Columbia, Harvard and Berkeley and is currently a Professor in the Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy at the University of Chicago. His previous book is Your Inner Fish: The amazing discovery of our 375-million-year-old ancestor.

How did flying birds evolve from running dinosaurs, terrestrial trotting tetrapods evolve from swimming fish, and whales return to swim in the sea? These are some of the great transformations in the 500-million-year history of vertebrate life. And with the aid of new techniques and approaches across a range of fields-work spanning multiple levels of biological organization from DNA sequences to organs and the physiology and ecology of whole organisms-we are now beginning to unravel the confounding evolutionary mysteries contained in the structure, genes, and fossil record of every living species. This book gathers a diverse team of renowned scientists to capture the excitement of these new discoveries in a collection that is both accessible to students and an important contribution to the future of its field. Marshaling a range of disciplines-from paleobiology to phylogenetics, developmental biology, ecology, and evolutionary biology-the contributors attack particular transformations in the head and neck, trunk, appendages such as fins and limbs, and the whole body, as well as offer synthetic perspectives.Illustrated throughout, Great Transformations in Vertebrate Evolution not only reveals the true origins of whales with legs, fish with elbows, wrists, and necks, and feathered dinosaurs, but also the relevance to our lives today of these extraordinary narratives of change.

**Shortlisted for the 2025 Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize**The bestselling author of Your Inner Fish takes readers on an epic adventure to the North and South Poles to reveal the secrets locked in the ice about life, the cosmos, and our planet’s future.“Urgent [and] prescient…The book captures Shubin’s reverence for both the beauty and the mysteries hidden in the cold, barren tundra.”—The New YorkerRenowned scientist Neil Shubin has made extraordinary discoveries by leading scientific expeditions to the sweeping ice landscapes of the Arctic and Antarctic. He’s survived polar storms, traveled in temperatures that can freeze flesh in seconds, and worked hundreds of miles from the nearest humans, all to deepen our understanding of our world.Written with infectious enthusiasm and irresistible curiosity, Ends of the Earth blends travel writing, science, and history in a book brimming with surprising and wonderful discoveries. Shubin retraces his steps on a “dinosaur dance floor,” showing us where these beasts had populated the once tropical lands at the poles. He takes readers meteor hunting, as meteorites preserved in the ice can be older than our planet and can tell us about our galaxy’s formation. Readers also encounter insects and fish that develop their own anti-freeze, and aquatic life in ancient lakes hidden miles under the ice that haven’t seen the surface in centuries. It turns out that explorers and scientists have found these extreme environments as prime ground for making scientific breakthroughs across a vast range of knowledge. Shubin shares unforgettable moments from centuries of expeditions to reveal just how far scientists will go to understand polar regions. In the end, what happens at the poles does not stay in the poles—the ends of the earth offer profound stories that will forever change our view of life and the entire planet.

Meet the scientists uncovering the secrets of Earth's harshest environments – the polar regionsSHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY TRIVEDI SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 2025AN ECONOMIST BOOK OF THE YEAR'Thrilling... This book is a reminder of how incredibly "cool" our planet can be, and how we must fight to protect it.' Nick MohammedFrigid, remote and inhospitable – the polar regions seem far removed from our everyday lives.But these seemingly isolated ice realms shape life on our planet far more than we realise, influencing everything from the climate to ocean health. They may even hold the secrets to the origins of the Earth.Taking an epic journey of discovery from pole-to-pole, ferrying between penguins and polar bears, Ends of the Earth reveals the polar regions as never before. Meeting with the leading physicists, climatologists, geologists, biologists and palaeontologists working in these extremes – often as eccentric as they are intrepid – Neil Shubin presents the compelling new science of the Arctic and Antarctic with characteristic verve and expertise.***'A fast-moving, fascinating book that combines travelogue and natural science discovery... a delightful and compelling read.' Daniel J. Levitin, author of The Organised Mind'Gripping... Shubin’s captivating storytelling will give you a new appreciation for some of the harshest and most mysterious places on Earth.' Steve Brusatte, author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs'What a remarkable planet we live on – wildest at its cold and lovely poles. This compelling volume should summon us to defend that cold, the vital task for our time on earth.' Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature'Fascinating. Important.' Spectator

Meet the scientists uncovering the secrets of Earth''s harshest environments – the polar regions ''A fast-moving, fascinating book that combines travelogue and natural science discovery... a delightful and compelling read.'' Daniel J. Levitin, author of The Organised Mind Frigid, remote and inhospitable – the polar regions seem far removed from our everyday lives. But these seemingly isolated ice realms shape life on our planet far more than we realise, influencing everything from the climate to ocean health. They may even hold the secrets to the origins of the Earth. Taking an epic journey of discovery from pole-to-pole, ferrying between penguins and polar bears, Ends of the Earth reveals the polar regions as never before. Meeting with the leading physicists, climatologists, geologists, biologists and palaeontologists working in these extremes – often as eccentric as they are intrepid – Neil Shubin presents the compelling new science of the Arctic and Antarctic with characteristic verve and expertise. *** ''Gripping... Shubin’s captivating storytelling will give you a new appreciation for some of the harshest and most mysterious places on Earth.'' Steve Brusatte, author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs ''What a remarkable planet we live on – wildest at its cold and lovely poles. This compelling volume should summon us to defend that cold, the vital task for our time on earth.'' Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature ''Fascinating. Important.'' Spectator

The author of the best-selling Your Inner Fish gives us a lively and accessible account of the great transformations in the history of life on Earth--a new view of the evolution of human and animal life that can help to determine whether our presence here is accidental or inevitable.Over billions of years, ancient fish evolved to walk on land, reptiles transformed into birds that fly, and ape-like primates evolved into humans that walk on two legs, talk, and write. For more than a century, paleontologists have traveled the globe to find fossils that show how changes such as these have happened. We have now arrived at a remarkable moment--archaic fossils coupled with new DNA technology have given us the tools to answer some of the basic questions of our existence: How do big changes in evolution happen? Is our presence on Earth the product of mere chance? This new science reveals a multibillion-year evolutionary history filled with twists and turns, trial and error, accident and invention. In Some Assembly Required, Neil Shubin takes readers on a journey of discovery spanning centuries, as explorers and scientists seek to understand the origins of life''s immense diversity.

An exciting and accessible new view of the evolution of human and animal life on Earth. From the author of national bestseller, Your Inner Fish, this extraordinary journey of discovery spans centuries, as explorers and scientists seek to understand the origins of life's immense diversity. “Fossils, DNA, scientists with a penchant for suits of armor—what’s not to love?”—BBC Wildlife MagazineOver billions of years, ancient fish evolved to walk on land, reptiles transformed into birds that fly, and apelike primates evolved into humans that walk on two legs, talk, and write. For more than a century, paleontologists have traveled the globe to find fossils that show how such changes have happened. We have now arrived at a remarkable moment—prehistoric fossils coupled with new DNA technology have given us the tools to answer some of the basic questions of our existence: How do big changes in evolution happen? Is our presence on Earth the product of mere chance? This new science reveals a multibillion-year evolutionary history filled with twists and turns, trial and error, accident and invention. In Some Assembly Required, Neil Shubin takes readers on a journey of discovery spanning centuries, as explorers and scientists seek to understand the origins of life's immense diversity.

Some Assembly Required is a lively and accessible guide to the most momentous transformations in the history of life – the evolution of fish into land-dwelling creatures, the origins of birds, how life took the first step from single-celled organisms towards complex beings with bodies. It is also a story that is full of surprises. If you think that feathers arose to help animals fly, or lungs to help animals walk on land, you’d be in good company. You’d also be entirely wrong. Neil Shubin delves deep into the mystery of life, describing how discoveries of the past fifty years have revolutionised our understanding of how we got here, and brought us closer to answering one of the great questions of science – was life on earth inevitable or is it an accident that we are here at all?

Meet the scientists uncovering the secrets of Earth's harshest environments – the polar regionsSHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY TRIVEDI SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 2025AN ECONOMIST BOOK OF THE YEAR'Thrilling... This book is a reminder of how incredibly "cool" our planet can be, and how we must fight to protect it.' Nick MohammedFrigid, remote and inhospitable – the polar regions seem far removed from our everyday lives.But these seemingly isolated ice realms shape life on our planet far more than we realise, influencing everything from the climate to ocean health. They may even hold the secrets to the origins of the Earth.Taking an epic journey of discovery from pole-to-pole, ferrying between penguins and polar bears, Ends of the Earth reveals the polar regions as never before. Meeting with the leading physicists, climatologists, geologists, biologists and palaeontologists working in these extremes – often as eccentric as they are intrepid – Neil Shubin presents the compelling new science of the Arctic and Antarctic with characteristic verve and expertise.***'A fast-moving, fascinating book that combines travelogue and natural science discovery... a delightful and compelling read.' Daniel J. Levitin, author of The Organised Mind'Gripping... Shubin’s captivating storytelling will give you a new appreciation for some of the harshest and most mysterious places on Earth.' Steve Brusatte, author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs'What a remarkable planet we live on – wildest at its cold and lovely poles. This compelling volume should summon us to defend that cold, the vital task for our time on earth.' Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature'Fascinating. Important.' Spectator

Die Gesamtgeschichte der Erde und des Menschen und von Allem – ungewöhnlich, unterhaltsam und packend!Seit dem Urknall haben sich Galaxien, Sonnensysteme und Planeten gebildet und im Laufe der Äonen entwickelte sich das Leben auf der Erde. Angesichts dessen könnten wir Menschen uns unbedeutend vorkommen – doch tief in uns verborgen liegt das große Wunder des Lebens: Das Universum ist in uns!Der weltbekannte Paläontologe Neil Shubin geht in seinem neuen Buch den Rätseln unseres Lebens nach: Er erzählt von der Zusammensetzung der Moleküle, findet eine Erklärung dafür, weshalb wir einen Regenbogen sehen können und zeigt, wie das Universum unseren Schlafrhythmus und die Geschwindigkeit beeinflusst, mit der sich unsere Zellen teilen. Ein wissenschaftliches Abenteuer, nach dem wir besser verstehen, wer – und was – wir sind.

Wussten Sie, dass sich Ihre Zähne aus dem Panzer haiähnlicher Fische entwickelt haben? Und wussten Sie auch, dass Ihre Hände und Füße von einer Fischflosse abstammen? Der preisgekrönte Paläontologe Neil Shubin, der selbst spektakuläre Fossilien entdeckt hat, erzählt die spannende Geschichte unseres Körpers und seiner Evolution und zeigt, warum wir so aussehen, wie wir aussehen.»Anspruchsvoll und wissenschaftlich fundiert, mit alltäglichen Beispielen.«Galore

Eine unvergleichliche Entdeckungsreise durch Raum und Zeit, die uns an den Ursprung des Lebens selbst führt: Anschaulich, zugänglich und lebendig erzählt der renommierte Naturwissenschaftler Neil Shubin von den großen, unerklärlich scheinenden Umbrüchen in der Evolutionsgeschichte. Sein Buch bietet eine neue Perspektive auf die Evolution menschlichen und tierischen Lebens, die erklärt, wie die verblüffende Artenvielfalt auf unserem Planeten entstanden ist.Über Milliarden Jahre entwickelten sich Fische zu Landbewohnern, Reptilien zu Vögeln, Primaten zu Menschen. In der Paläontologie und Archäologie suchen Forscher nach genau solchen Fossilien, nach evolutionären Meilensteinen, die den Lauf und die Geschichte des Lebens veränderten. In den letzten zweihundert Jahren waren Funde wie diese die einzige zuverlässige Methode, um den Verlauf der Evolution nachzeichnen und verstehen zu können.Doch die moderne Paläontologie steht derzeit an einem entscheidenden Wendepunkt: Die Entdeckung von DNA und die fortschreitende Technisierung eröffnen dem Wissenschaftszweig neue Möglichkeiten. Die Untersuchung von Fossilien mithilfe von DNA hilft der Forschung dabei, die zentralen Fragen unserer Existenz zu beantworten: Wie kommt es zu den großen evolutionären Veränderungen? Ist unser Dasein auf der Erde das Produkt reinen Zufalls? Oder hätte es gar nicht anders kommen können?»Neil Shubin ist ein meisterhafter Erzähler und ein begnadeter Vermittler der Wissenschaft.« Wall Street Journal»[Shubins] vier Milliarden Jahre umspannende Geschichte – von alten Fossilien bis hin zur DNA – zeigt einer breiten Leserschaft das wahre Bild der Wissenschaft, mit einnehmenden Porträts großer Forscher aus der Vergangenheit und Gegenwart.« Nature»Eine Freude… Dieses hervorragende Buch erweckt die intellektuelle Begeisterung wissenschaftlichen Strebens auf eine Art und Weise zum Leben, die sowohl erhellt als auch unterhält.« Publishers Weekly»Persönlich und durchdacht… Aufregend… Eine weitreichende Evolutionsgeschichte.« Science

En abril de 2006, Neil Shubin y su equipo aparecieron en los titulares de prensa mundiales cuando dieron a conocer al Tiktaalik, un pez fósil con extremidades de 375 millones de años de edad, el eslabón perdido entre las antiguas criaturas del mar y las primeras criaturas en empezar a caminar en tierra. Sus descubrimientos fósiles han cambiado la manera en que entendíamos muchas de las transiciones clave en la evolución de las especies.En Tu pez interior (2008), Shubin desarrolla las grandes transformaciones evolutivas con una perspectiva única. Mostrando el extraordinario impacto que los 3.500 millones años de historia de la vida han tenido en el cuerpo humano, responde a preguntas básicas que nos planteamos a menudo: ¿por qué nos parecemos tanto en el interior? ¿cómo hemos llegado a ese parecido? Para entenderlo no necesitamos dirigir expediciones fósiles en el desierto de Gobi o el norte de África, basta con comparar nuestros esqueletos, órganos y genes. Cuando nos comparamos con los animales, plantas, hongos y microbios nos convertimos en una profunda evidencia de la evolución. El origen de los animales, la transición de los peces a los anfibios, el origen de los mamíferos, y muchos de los otros eventos clave de la evolución han sido capturados en nuestros genes, esqueletos y órganos.