Life Ascending
The Ten Great Inventions of Evolution
by Nick Lane
Should I read this?
Recommended by 3 sources and appears in Biology, Most Recommended Books, and Science.
Original and aweinspiring . . . an exhilarating tour of some of the most profound and important ideas in biology.New Scientist Where does DNA come from What is consciousness How did the eye evolve Drawing on a treasure trove of new scientific knowledge, Nick Lane expertly reconstructs evolutions history by describing its ten greatest inventions...
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Why recommended
Recommended by 3 sources and appears in Biology, Most Recommended Books, and Science.
Recommended by notable people
People and public figures who have recommended this book.
Recommendation Signals
Recommendation proof is sourced from public posts, interviews, reading lists, and cited references.
Brian Cox
“@StrongLikeBear @ShalanSharma @Dagk Yes, that’s right. I think it’s correct to say that many biologists (not all) believe the step from prokaryote to eukaryote was highly unlikely. See for example Nick Lane’s Life Ascending a great book for many reasons.”
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Appears In
Not sure if this is the right fit?
Consider The Blind Watchmaker by Richard Dawkins. Recommended by 12 sources.
“Reading feels brisk and combative: clear metaphors and thought experiments carry much of the book, making abstract evolutionary mechanics concrete for a general reader. The most useful material offers step-by-step dismantling of purposive explanations and replaces them with probabilistic accounts of variation and selection. Main limitation is tone and repetition—several chapters restate the same counterarguments at length—and occasional technical detours into probability and genetics that slow readers who prefer story over demonstration. No hands-on exercises.”
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How recommendation signals are reviewed
Each recommendation is collected from a public source — interviews, articles, or curated lists — and linked to its original URL. Books with many verifiable recommendations from respected people rank higher.