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Improbable Destinies: Fate, Chance, and the Future of Evolution
by Losos, Jonathan B. | HC | VeryGood
US $8.27
ApproximatelyAU $12.46
Condition:
“Missing dust jacket; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ”... Read moreabout condition
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Estimated between Thu, 27 Jun and Mon, 1 Jul to 43230
Located in: Aurora, Illinois, United States
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eBay item number:145794920863
Item specifics
- Condition
- Very good
- Seller notes
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Weight
- 1 lbs
- Product Group
- Book
- IsTextBook
- No
- ISBN
- 9780399184925
- Book Title
- Improbable Destinies : Fate, Chance, and the Future of Evolution
- Publisher
- Penguin Publishing Group
- Item Length
- 9.4 in
- Publication Year
- 2017
- Format
- Hardcover
- Language
- English
- Illustrator
- Yes
- Item Height
- 1.2 in
- Genre
- Science
- Topic
- Life Sciences / Evolution, Life Sciences / Biology, Life Sciences / Zoology / General
- Item Weight
- 20.6 Oz
- Item Width
- 6.3 in
- Number of Pages
- 384 Pages
About this product
Product Information
A major new book overturning our assumptions about how evolution works Earth's natural history is full of fascinating instances of convergence: phenomena like eyes and wings and tree-climbing lizards that have evolved independently, multiple times. But evolutionary biologists also point out many examples of contingency, cases where the tiniest change--a random mutation or an ancient butterfly sneeze--caused evolution to take a completely different course. What role does each force really play in the constantly changing natural world? Are the plants and animals that exist today, and we humans ourselves, inevitabilities or evolutionary flukes? And what does that say about life on other planets? Jonathan Losos reveals what the latest breakthroughs in evolutionary biology can tell us about one of the greatest ongoing debates in science. He takes us around the globe to meet the researchers who are solving the deepest mysteries of life on Earth through their work in experimental evolutionary science. Losos himself is one of the leaders in this exciting new field, and he illustrates how experiments with guppies, fruit flies, bacteria, foxes, and field mice, along with his own work with anole lizards on Caribbean islands, are rewinding the tape of life to reveal just how rapid and predictable evolution can be. Improbable Destinies will change the way we think and talk about evolution. Losos's insights into natural selection and evolutionary change have far-reaching applications for protecting ecosystems, securing our food supply, and fighting off harmful viruses and bacteria. This compelling narrative offers a new understanding of ourselves and our role in the natural world and the cosmos.
Product Identifiers
Publisher
Penguin Publishing Group
ISBN-10
0399184929
ISBN-13
9780399184925
eBay Product ID (ePID)
234892364
Product Key Features
Book Title
Improbable Destinies : Fate, Chance, and the Future of Evolution
Number of Pages
384 Pages
Language
English
Publication Year
2017
Topic
Life Sciences / Evolution, Life Sciences / Biology, Life Sciences / Zoology / General
Illustrator
Yes
Genre
Science
Format
Hardcover
Dimensions
Item Height
1.2 in
Item Weight
20.6 Oz
Item Length
9.4 in
Item Width
6.3 in
Additional Product Features
Intended Audience
Trade
Reviews
Praise for Jonathan B. Losos' Lizards in an Evolutionary Tree : "A rich compendium of information by an extraordinarily insightful biologist." --Science "Lucid language and simplicity in writing [create] magic throughout the book." -- Environment and Ecology, "This is a wonderfully serious book with a lighthearted voice. Is evolution predictable or contingent? Big question. Why do adaptations converge? Big question. Why is the platypus unique? Smaller question, but fun! Read, enjoy, think." --David Quammen, author of The Song of the Dodo and Spillover "Improbable Destinies is one of the best books on evolutionary biology for a broad readership ever written. Its subjects--the unfolding of Earth's biological history, the precarious nature of human existence, and the likelihood of life on exoplanets--are presented in a detailed, exciting style expected from an authentic scientist and naturalist." --Edward O. Wilson, University Research Professor Emeritus, Harvard University " Is evolution a story foretold? Or is it little more than the rolls of DNA's dice? In Improbable Destinies , Jonathan Losos tackles these fascinating questions not with empty philosophizing, but with juicy tales from the front lines of scientific research. Drunk flies, fast-evolving lizards, mutating microbes, and hypothetical humanoid dinosaurs all grace the pages of this wonderfully thought-provoking book." --Carl Zimmer, author of A Planet of Viruses and The Tangled Bank "A rich, provocative, and very accessible book, Improbable Destinies is an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the ecological theater and evolutionary play of life, expertly guided one of its most insightful observers. Jonathan Losos has shone a light on a largely unheralded cast of fascinating creatures and ingenious scientists who are reshaping our view of why life is the way it is." --Sean B. Carroll, author of The Serengeti Rules and Brave Genius Praise for Jonathan B. Losos' Lizards in an Evolutionary Tree : "A rich compendium of information by an extraordinarily insightful biologist." --Science "Lucid language and simplicity in writing [create] magic throughout the book." -- Environment and Ecology, "This is a wonderfully serious book with a lighthearted voice. Is evolution predictable or contingent? Big question. Why do adaptations converge? Big question. Why is the platypus unique? Smaller question, but fun! Read, enjoy, think." --David Quammen, author of The Song of the Dodo and Spillover "Improbable Destinies is one of the best books on evolutionary biology for a broad readership ever written. Its subjects--the unfolding of Earth's biological history, the precarious nature of human existence, and the likelihood of life on exoplanets--are presented in a detailed, exciting style expected from an authentic scientist and naturalist." --Edward O. Wilson, University Research Professor Emeritus, Harvard University " Is evolution a story foretold? Or is it little more than the rolls of DNA's dice? In Improbable Destinies , Jonathan Losos tackles these fascinating questions not with empty philosophizing, but with juicy tales from the front lines of scientific research. Drunk flies, fast-evolving lizards, mutating microbes, and hypothetical humanoid dinosaurs all grace the pages of this wonderfully thought-provoking book." --Carl Zimmer, author of A Planet of Viruses and The Tangled Bank Praise for Jonathan B. Losos' Lizards in an Evolutionary Tree : "A rich compendium of information by an extraordinarily insightful biologist." --Science "Lucid language and simplicity in writing [create] magic throughout the book." -- Environment and Ecology, "This is a wonderfully serious book with a lighthearted voice. Is evolution predictable or contingent? Big question. Why do adaptations converge? Big question. Why is the platypus unique? Smaller question, but fun! Read, enjoy, think." --David Quammen, author of The Song of the Dodo and Spillover "Deep, broad, brilliant and thought-provoking. . . . In staggeringly clear and engaging prose, Losos shows us remarkable vignettes of scientists working at personal and professional risk in all sorts of habitats -- field, lab and museum -- to elucidate stunning mechanisms of evolution. . . . He is one of the premier writers in biology today." -- Nature "[A] compelling book." -- Science "In a refreshingly accessible narrative, laced with piquant anecdotes, Losos underscores the human significance of science affecting not only how we interpret our own place on the planet but also how we envision life in distant galaxies. Wonderfully lucid; singularly engaging." -- Booklist (starred review) "A cheerful, delightfully lucid primer on evolution and the predictive possibilities within the field." -- Kirkus (starred review) "Every now and then a brilliant book comes along that helps us rethink what we know about a subject. Jonathan B. Losos' fascinating, compulsively readable Improbable Destinies is just such a book. . . . With vivacious writing and thoughtful, provocative insights, Losos' captivating study of evolution deserves to be read alongside the books of E.O. Wilson ( The Social Conquest of Earth ) and Stephen Jay Gould ( Wonderful Life )." -- BookPage "Improbable Destinies is one of the best books on evolutionary biology for a broad readership ever written. Its subjects--the unfolding of Earth's biological history, the precarious nature of human existence, and the likelihood of life on exoplanets--are presented in a detailed, exciting style expected from an authentic scientist and naturalist." --Edward O. Wilson, University Research Professor Emeritus, Harvard University " Losos explains both the science and the underlying philosophy of the questions being asked in an accessible and engaging manner . . . The book is as enjoyable as it is informative." -- Publishers Weekly " Is evolution a story foretold? Or is it little more than the rolls of DNA's dice? In Improbable Destinies , Jonathan Losos tackles these fascinating questions not with empty philosophizing, but with juicy tales from the front lines of scientific research. Drunk flies, fast-evolving lizards, mutating microbes, and hypothetical humanoid dinosaurs all grace the pages of this wonderfully thought-provoking book." --Carl Zimmer, author of A Planet of Viruses and The Tangled Bank "A rich, provocative, and very accessible book, Improbable Destinies is an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the ecological theater and evolutionary play of life, expertly guided one of its most insightful observers. Jonathan Losos has shone a light on a largely unheralded cast of fascinating creatures and ingenious scientists who are reshaping our view of why life is the way it is." --Sean B. Carroll, author of The Serengeti Rules and Brave Genius Praise for Jonathan B. Losos' Lizards in an Evolutionary Tree : "A rich compendium of information by an extraordinarily insightful biologist." --Science "Lucid language and simplicity in writing [create] magic throughout the book." -- Environment and Ecology, "This is a wonderfully serious book with a lighthearted voice. Is evolution predictable or contingent? Big question. Why do adaptations converge? Big question. Why is the platypus unique? Smaller question, but fun! Read, enjoy, think." --David Quammen, author of The Song of the Dodo and Spillover "Improbable Destinies is one of the best books on evolutionary biology for a broad readership ever written. Its subjects--the unfolding of Earth's biological history, the precarious nature of human existence, and the likelihood of life on exoplanets--are presented in a detailed, exciting style expected from an authentic scientist and naturalist." --Edward O. Wilson, University Research Professor Emeritus, Harvard University " Losos explains both the science and the underlying philosophy of the questions being asked in an accessible and engaging manner . . . The book is as enjoyable as it is informative." -- Publishers Weekly " Is evolution a story foretold? Or is it little more than the rolls of DNA's dice? In Improbable Destinies , Jonathan Losos tackles these fascinating questions not with empty philosophizing, but with juicy tales from the front lines of scientific research. Drunk flies, fast-evolving lizards, mutating microbes, and hypothetical humanoid dinosaurs all grace the pages of this wonderfully thought-provoking book." --Carl Zimmer, author of A Planet of Viruses and The Tangled Bank "A rich, provocative, and very accessible book, Improbable Destinies is an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the ecological theater and evolutionary play of life, expertly guided one of its most insightful observers. Jonathan Losos has shone a light on a largely unheralded cast of fascinating creatures and ingenious scientists who are reshaping our view of why life is the way it is." --Sean B. Carroll, author of The Serengeti Rules and Brave Genius Praise for Jonathan B. Losos' Lizards in an Evolutionary Tree : "A rich compendium of information by an extraordinarily insightful biologist." --Science "Lucid language and simplicity in writing [create] magic throughout the book." -- Environment and Ecology
Lccn
2016-054594
Lc Classification Number
Qh366.2.L664 2017
Copyright Date
2017
Item description from the seller
Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing.
eBay item number:145794920863
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