Life Ascending

In Life Ascending: The Ten Great Inventions of Evolution, Nick Lane tells the reader how ten of the most important steps in the development of life on Earth are thought to have come about. These steps are the origin of life, DNA, photosynthesis, the complex cell, sex, movement, sight, hot blood, consciousness and death.

Lane examines the questions which scientists are currently investigating for each of these steps. Did life begin in the oceans around 'black smokers'. Were the dinosaurs hot blooded. And why do we have sex when asexual reproduction would seem much more efficient. The last two chapters are a bit different from others. That on consciousness has quite a bit on the philosophy of mind, and that on death does look at why it evolved, but also at possible ways to avoid it (which I'm sure will be of interest to many people).

I wouldn't recommend this book to those who have no previous experience in the subject. Although it isn't difficult to read, it is more suited to those who have read something about the evolution of life and want to move to the next level of detail. You'll find out, for instance, aobut the Z-scheme in photosynthesis and how the rhodopsin molecule is used in the process of sight, but also has several other uses within the body. If you're OK with that amount of detail then I think you'll find this a fascinating read.