Overview

Five billion years ago, this place was barely planet at all, more like a condensing cloud forming from debris that circled a fledgling star. Not a promising candidate, perhaps, for a place where eggs would one day evolve from out of the sea; be set by animals into soils, sands, canyons and mudflats; be dropped in nests wrapped in silk; hung in stick nests in trees, covered in crystallised shells or secured by placentas. And yet here we are. We owe eggs for our existence. For life on Earth today. Eggs are, quite probably, the single biggest ‘invention’ in the history of evolution. Finally, the epic story of their role in the story of life can be told. Unveiling a captivating new outlook on Earth’s natural history, science writer and zoology correspondent Jules Howard retells our planet's grand narrative from the perspective of the animal egg. Through lyrical prose, captivating storytelling and meticulous research, Howard offers a masterful narrative that challenges our perceptions and invites introspection about our place in the story of life.

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9781783967773

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Reviews

‘Jules Howard’s egg’s-eye view of evolution is dripping with fascinating insights’ Alice Roberts, author of Ancestors   ‘A startlingly beautiful exploration of evolution’s crucibles of creation’ Rebecca Wragg Sykes, author of Kindred   ‘Mind-bending in the best possible ways … a joy to read’ Helen Scales, author of The Brilliant Abyss   ‘Finally, the egg gets the recognition it deserves in this wonderfully evocative telling of its journey through time and place’ Gaia Vince, author of Nomad Century and Transcendence   ‘One of my favourite science writers’ Lucy Cooke, author of Bitch: A Revolutionary Guide to Sex, Evolution and the Female Animal   ‘This is as fun and engaging as science writing gets, and by the end of the book, it’s astounding how much you’ve learned about the history of life.’ Steve Brusatte, author of The Rise and Reign of the Mammals ‘So much passion and poetic prose' BBC Radio 4, Inside Science ‘Focusing on the oology in zoology, Infinite Life retells the history of life, this time from the perspective of the almighty egg.’ The Inquisitive Biologist   ‘In a book that brilliantly evokes past eras, Howard provides a new perspective on the history of life on Earth.’ The Mail on Sunday ‘Infinite Life is thoroughly researched and packed with astonishing facts … Howard brings the minutiae of his subject to life with detailed, almost tactile descriptions’ Times Literary Supplement ‘Animal evolution is a snap compared to the minutia of animal physiology, but Howard has done his homework and delivers a painless but lucid education on a central feature of life. High-quality natural history.’ Kirkus Reviews ‘The egg is a beautiful thing, far from simple and far from static. If you’ve never given it much thought before, this book will change that.’ Geographical ‘Carving out a niche in the increasingly crowded milieu of popular-science writing can be difficult, but  Infinite Life stands out. It’s a satisfyingly nerdy examination of eggs, rooted in an unashamed affection for this unlikely spectacle of nature’ Rebecca Wragg Sykes, Nature

‘One of my favourite science writers’ LUCY COOKE

Author Information

Jules Howard is a zoological correspondent, science writer and broadcaster, whose recent book, Wonderdog, won the 2022 Barker Book Prize for non-fiction. He writes on a host of topics relating to zoology, ecology and wildlife conservation and appears regularly in BBC Science Focus magazine and on radio and TV, including BBC Breakfast and Radio 4's Nature Table and The Ultimate Choice. He lives in Northamptonshire with his wife and two children.

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