Overview

An expansive investigation into the most unifying and enduring structure in the history of life--and a story of biological richness at a moment when so much of our precious biodiversity hangs in the balance. Eggs are the origins of 90 percent of the Earth's organisms. They can be found as far apart as deep-sea volcanoes and in space. Yet despite their fundamental importance, eggs often find themselves an afterthought in the discussion of evolution of life on Earth as the interests of scientists congregate around the things that emerge from eggs rather than the eggs themselves. In his new book Infinite Life: The Revolutionary Story of Eggs, Evolution, and Life on Earth, Jules Howard explains--with great passion, authority, expertise, and infectious enthusiasm--why it's time to give eggs their moment in the spotlight: it is the eggs that can teach us new and surprising lessons about Earth's history, the trials of life, and the exceptional ways in which natural selection operates to propagate the survival of individual species. Infinite Life: The Revolutionary Story of Eggs, Evolution, and Life on Earth, offers a wholly new perspective on the animal kingdom, and, indeed, life on Earth. By examining eggs from their earliest histories to the very latest fossilized discoveries--encompassing the myriad changes and mutations of eggs from the evolution of yolk, to the hard eggshells of lost dinosaurs, to the animals that have evolved to simultaneously give birth to eggs and live young--Howard reveals untold stories of great diversity and majesty to shed light on the huge impact that egg science has on our lives.

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9781639367740

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Reviews

"""Turning wolves into dogs took knowledge, insight and a few cheeky treats along the way. This book contains all three, and is the perfect companion to any dog lover.""--Ben Garrod, Evolutionary Biologist and Conservationist Praise for Jules Howard's Wonderdog: ""Succeeds in drawing readers in and delivering reliable scientific information packaged in compelling and sometimes heart-warming anecdotes. I have no doubt that even the science-phobic among dog lovers can find Wonderdog exhilarating.""-- ""Forbes"" ""Wonderdog is a paean to these clever, flexible, charming animals who sit and walk alongside us?and also a humane, thoughtful consideration of the science using and about dogs. You'll want to read it with a dog by your side, so you can regularly turn to them admiringly and tickle their ears.""--Alexandra Horowitz, #1 New York Times bestselling author ""Wonderdog is a wonderful, fact-filled, and easy-to-read journey into the heads and hearts of dogs--who they are, what they know, and what they feel. Howard does a masterful job blending the latest science with doses of common sense as he covers what we know and still need to know to give dogs the best lives possible. Wonderdog is a must-read.""--Marc Bekoff, University of Colorado, author of Canine Confidential: Why Dogs Do What They Do ""A fresh and vibrant account of what we've learned about dogs from Darwin to today. With a cast of familiar and almost-forgotten characters, Wonderdog tells us why dogs do the things they do--and what it tells us about ourselves. Full of compassion and intrigue, this is scientific storytelling at its very best.""--Zazie Todd, PhD, award-winning author of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy ""A solid study on man's best friend that can be enjoyed by the casual reader or the historian alike, with an exceptional balance of entertainment and educational value.""-- ""Library Journal"" ""A wonderful book! I loved it. Informative and engaging.""--Virgina Morell, American science writer, contributor to National Geographic and Science, and author of Animal Wise: How We Know Animals Think and Feel ""Offers readers a whirlwind tour of 150 years of research on the minds and behavior of man's best friend. From Darwin and Pavlov to the latest research in canine science, Wonderdog reflects first-rate scholarship yet reads like a detective novel. This book puts Jules Howard in the top ranks of contemporary science writers.""--Hal Herzog, author of Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It's So Hard to Think Straight About Animals ""With Wonderdog, Jules Howard explores the highs and the lows of science's sometimes troubled relationship with the domesticated wolf with which we share our homes and lives. With his characteristic lightness of touch, Howard takes us on a journey of discovery that will leave no dog-lover unmoved, and no dog-hater unconverted. A splendid, entertaining and hugely informative read!""--Adam Hart, author of Unfit for Purpose: When Human Evolution Collides with the Modern World ""Zoologist Howard enlists the help of veterinary professionals, psychologists, ethologists, neurologists, historians, and others in this eclectic history of dogs.""-- ""Publishers Weekly"""

Author Information

Jules Howard, author of Wonderdog, is a wildlife expert, zoology correspondent, science-writer, and broadcaster. He writes regularly for many publications, including the Guardian, and appears regularly on television in the United Kingdom. He is the author of several nonfiction books and lives in London.

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