Die Geschichte des Lebens

An unparalleled journey of discovery through space and time that leads us to the very origin of life: Renowned natural scientist Neil Shubin vividly, accessibly, and engagingly narrates the great, seemingly inexplicable upheavals in the history of evolution. His book offers a new perspective on the evolution of human and animal life, explaining how the astonishing diversity of species on our planet came to be. Over billions of years, fish evolved into land dwellers, reptiles into birds, and primates into humans. In paleontology and archaeology, researchers search for such fossils, for evolutionary milestones that changed the course and history of life. For the past two hundred years, finds like these have been the only reliable method to trace and understand the course of evolution. However, modern paleontology is currently at a crucial turning point: The discovery of DNA and advancing technology are opening new possibilities for the field. The study of fossils using DNA helps researchers answer the central questions of our existence: What causes significant evolutionary changes? Is our existence on Earth the product of pure chance? Or could it not have turned out any other way? Neil Shubin is a masterful storyteller and a gifted communicator of science. Shubin's four-billion-year narrative—from ancient fossils to DNA—reveals the true picture of science to a broad audience, featuring captivating portraits of great researchers from the past and present. A delight... This outstanding book brings the intellectual excitement of scientific pursuit to life in a way that is both enlightening and entertaining. Personal and thoughtful.