Where Did We Come From?-bookcover

By: Eugene Rosenberg & Ilana Zilber-Rosenberg

Where Did We Come From?

Pages: 270 Ratings: 5.0

Book Format: Choose an option

Free standard delivery on UK orders over £35

*Available directly from our distributors, click the Available On tab below

Book Description

Where Did We Come From? The Origin and Evolution of Life is a welcoming introduction to the understanding of the origin and evolution of life. The authors capture the attention of all readers, be they well versed in theories of the origin of life and the Theory of Evolution or those that possess little knowledge of these interesting subjects. The authors discuss the origin of life from religious narratives to scientific-based accounts, leading to the conclusion that we still do not know how life began, but strive to do so.

The Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection, presented simultaneously by Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace, is one of the greatest ideas of all time. However, new discoveries in molecular genetics, microbiology, and systems biology have necessitated an extension/revision of the classical frame of evolutionary theory. These new discoveries include epigenetics, alteration of the environment, learning and cultural transmission, and the role of microorganisms in the evolution of animals and plants: the hologenome concept.

Where Did We Come From? The Origin and Evolution of Life also provides a glimpse of how theories of evolution can affect our understanding of social phenomena, such as motherhood and social standing, biological cooperation versus Social Darwinism, and collective memory.

Through an accessible authorial voice and clarity, not burdened with superfluous jargon, the authors engage with readers and lead them to become well-informed on these captivating subjects.

Eugene Rosenberg is Professor Emeritus at Tel Aviv University. He received his PhD in biochemistry at Columbia University. After postdoctoral research with Lord Todd in Cambridge, England, he became an associate professor of microbiology at UCLA. Since 1970, he has been a professor of microbiology at Tel Aviv University. He has published over 300 scientific articles and reviews, 15 books and 18 patents. He is a member of the American and European Academies of Microbiology. Rosenberg has received several awards, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, Pan Lab Award, Fogarty International Scholar of the NIH, and the Proctor & Gamble Award.

 

Ilana Zilber-Rosenberg is an independent scientist. She received her PhD in microbiology at Tel Aviv University. After performing postdoctoral research, she studied nutritional science, receiving a B.Sc. in Nutrition and a certification as a clinical nutritionist. Zilber-Rosenberg worked as a public health nutritionist and managed a mid-life Women’s Centre. She has published 30 scientific articles and four books, and in 2006 received her BA in Sociology. Since 2006, she has collaborated with Eugene Rosenberg on the hologenome concept of evolution. Together with Rosenberg, she received the Möbius Prize (Germany) for lifetime achievements in symbiosis.

 

Available On These Platforms

Customer Reviews
5.0
1 reviews
1 reviews
  • R. John Collier, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus, Harvard Medical School

    Eugene Rosenberg and Ilana Zilber-Rosenberg bring to their new book, entitled “Where Did We Come From? The Origin and Evolution of Life” a wealth of knowledge and decades of experience as master researchers. In terms understandable to all, including the lay reader, they describe the grand quest to understand how we and all other species of life came to be. The volume covers a vast range of topics, from origin myths through to current concepts of how natural selection occurs at various levels - among mutated genes; among cells carrying those altered genes; among individual organisms harboring those cells; and among populations of those organisms. The authors describe observations that led Darwin and Wallace to conceive of the revolutionary concept of natural selection, and of experiments over the long term that led to the discovery of DNA, it’s double-helical structure, and how the structure underlies genetic transmission of heritable traits from one generation to the next. Photographs and descriptions of the personalities of scientists instrumental in key advances provide paths for the reader to sense how scientific discoveries actually occur. Of particular interest is discussion focused on the topic of the Rosenberg’s’ own research in recent years, namely the unique microbial populations carried by multicellular organisms, be they human or other, and how the Rosenbergs’ studies led to the hologenome concept of evolution, that is, how these microbes influence the process of natural selection of their hosts. In this and other topics the reader is presented with both solidly based science and interpretations of the science, and care is taken to distinguish the two. Peppered throughout the volume are quotations from prominent scientists, philosophers, and other notables, providing diverse perspectives on the topics under discussion. This book will be of value to the lay reader interested in gaining a broad, authoritative view of evolution and its relevance to their lives. Also, citations to key publications are included, making the volume a gift to professionals in the world of science interested in a refresher course or a reference to fill gaps in their recollections.

Write a Review
Your post will be reviewed and published soon. Multiple reviews on one book from the same IP address will be deleted.

We use cookies on this site to enhance your user experience and for marketing purposes.
By clicking any link on this page you are giving your consent for us to set cookies