Liaisons of LifeLiaisons of Life
From Hornworts to Hippos, How the Unassuming Microbe Has Driven Evolution
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Book, 2001
Current format, Book, 2001, , No Longer Available.Book, 2001
Current format, Book, 2001, , No Longer Available. Offered in 0 more formatsA fascinating exploration of symbiosis at the microscopic level and its radical extension of Darwinism
Microbes have long been considered dangerous and disgusting-in short, "scum." But by forming mutually beneficial relationships with nearly every creature, be it alga with animals or zooplankton with zebrafish, microbes have in fact been innovative players in the evolutionary process. Now biologist and award-winning science writer Tom Wakeford shows us this extraordinary process at work. He takes us to such far-flung locales as underwater volcanoes, African termite mounds, the belly of a cow and even the gaps between our teeth, and there introduces us to a microscopic world at turns bizarre, seductive, and frightening, but ever responsible for advancing life in our macroscopic world. In doing so he also justifies the courage and vision of a series of scientists-from a young Beatrix Potter to Lynn Margulis-who were persecuted for believing evolution is as much a matter of interdependence and cooperation as it is great too-little-told tales of evolutionary science.
"Microbes and their alliances are fundamental to the origin, evolution, and current function of every creature we encounter" from the introduction. Writing for a general audience, biologist Wakeford (U. of Sussex, UK) follows the history of this theory of symbiosis from scientific heresy more than 100 years ago to acceptance today. Coverage includes the lives and writings of pioneers of the theory of symbiosis such as Beatrix Potter, H.G. Wells, Louis Pasteur, and Lynn Margulis. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
A biologist and award-winning science writer takes readers into underwater volcanoes, African termite mounds, the belly of a cow, and the gaps between our teeth to introduce a microscopic world that is responsible for advancing life in our macroscopic world.
A biologist and science writer takes readers into underwater volcanoes, African termite mounds, the belly of a cow, and the gaps between one's teeth to introduce a microscopic world that is responsible for advancing life in the macroscopic world.
Microbes have long been considered dangerous and disgusting-in short, "scum." But by forming mutually beneficial relationships with nearly every creature, be it alga with animals or zooplankton with zebrafish, microbes have in fact been innovative players in the evolutionary process. Now biologist and award-winning science writer Tom Wakeford shows us this extraordinary process at work. He takes us to such far-flung locales as underwater volcanoes, African termite mounds, the belly of a cow and even the gaps between our teeth, and there introduces us to a microscopic world at turns bizarre, seductive, and frightening, but ever responsible for advancing life in our macroscopic world. In doing so he also justifies the courage and vision of a series of scientists-from a young Beatrix Potter to Lynn Margulis-who were persecuted for believing evolution is as much a matter of interdependence and cooperation as it is great too-little-told tales of evolutionary science.
"Microbes and their alliances are fundamental to the origin, evolution, and current function of every creature we encounter" from the introduction. Writing for a general audience, biologist Wakeford (U. of Sussex, UK) follows the history of this theory of symbiosis from scientific heresy more than 100 years ago to acceptance today. Coverage includes the lives and writings of pioneers of the theory of symbiosis such as Beatrix Potter, H.G. Wells, Louis Pasteur, and Lynn Margulis. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
A biologist and award-winning science writer takes readers into underwater volcanoes, African termite mounds, the belly of a cow, and the gaps between our teeth to introduce a microscopic world that is responsible for advancing life in our macroscopic world.
A biologist and science writer takes readers into underwater volcanoes, African termite mounds, the belly of a cow, and the gaps between one's teeth to introduce a microscopic world that is responsible for advancing life in the macroscopic world.
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- New York : John Wiley, c2001.
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