Cowen, R. 2005. History of Life. 4th Edition. – Oxford, Blackwell Publishing

Abstract

This is a magnificent book. It shows – not unjustified after the terribly deceptive book I reviewed elsewhere (Reumer, 2006) – that palaeontology is a wonderful science, that Cowen is a highly gifted teacher and writer, and that when these two get together we witness the emergence of a book that is really superb. The title is what the book is about. It describes the history of life on earth, from the earliest beginnings we know so little about up to the present–day ecosystems we seem to care so little about. So it starts with Stanley Miller’s 1953 experiment simulating an early atmosphere consisting of methane, ammonia and hydrogen struck by lightning discharges. And it ends with the evolution of Homo and the recent human–induced threats to our planet. Read more...