Life's Solution: Inevitable Humans in a Lonely Universe (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780521827041)

Life's Solution builds a persuasive case for the predictability of evolutionary outcomes. The case rests on a remarkable compilation of examples of convergent evolution, in which two or more lineages have independently evolved similar structures and functions. The examples range from the aerodynamics of hovering moths and hummingbirds to the use of silk by spiders and some insects to capture prey. Going against the grain of Darwinian orthodoxy, this book is a must read for anyone grappling with the meaning of evolution and our place in the Universe. Simon Conway Morris is the Ad Hominen Professor in the Earth Science Department at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of St. John's College and the Royal Society. His research focuses on the study of constraints on evolution, and the historical processes that lead to the emergence of complexity, especially with respect to the construction of the major animal body parts in the Cambrian explosion. Previous books include The Crucible of Creation (Getty Center for Education in the Arts, 1999) and co-author of Solnhofen (Cambridge, 1990). Hb ISBN (2003) 0-521-82704-3

Author: Simon Conway Morris
ISBN-10: 0521827043
ISBN-13: 9780521827041
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Language: English
Published: 09/04/2003
Pages: 486
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.80lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 1.06d

Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 10/01/2003 pg. 112
New York Times 11/30/2003 pg. 18
Choice 05/01/2004 pg. 1688