Overview
A firsthand account of how a modest moth demonstrated Darwin's theory of natural selection. The extraordinary tale of the humble peppered moth is at the very foundation of our acceptance of Darwinian evolution. When scientists in the early twentieth century discovered that a British population of the small, speckled Biston betularia had become black over the course of mere decades in response to the Industrial Revolution's encroaching soot, the revelation cemented Darwin's theory of natural selection. This finding was the staple example of ""evolution in action"" until the turn of the millennium, when proponents of Creationism fomented doubts about the legitimacy of early experiments. In the midst of this upheaval, evolutionary biologist Bruce S. Grant and his contemporaries were determinedly building a dataset that would ultimately vindicate the theory of industrial melanism in the peppered moth and, by extension, the theory of natural selection itself. Observing Evolution tells the remarkable story of this work. Shining a light on the efforts of scientists who tested Darwin's trailblazing theory, Grant chronicles the historical foundations of peppered moth research, then explains how he and his collaborators were able to push this famous study forward. He describes how his experiments were designed and conducted while painting a vivid picture of the personalities, events, and adventures around the world that shaped his successes—and struggles. His story culminates with his discovery of the mirrored ""rise and fall"" of melanism in peppered moth populations separated by the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean, which settled the intense controversy around evolution by documenting nature's recurring experiment. Observing Evolution is a crash course in natural selection and the history of evolutionary biology for anyone interested in Darwin's legacy. It's also a fascinating read for lepidopterists and scientists about the bridge between classic experiments and today's sophisticated DNA sequencing, which reveals in ever greater detail how the lives of these tiny organisms have such enormous implications. —Douglas J. Futuyma, Quarterly Review of Biology
Full Product Details
Author: Bruce S. Grant
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
Imprint: Johns Hopkins University Press
Dimensions:
Width: 15.20cm
, Height: 2.70cm
, Length: 22.90cm
Weight: 0.590kg
ISBN: 9781421441658
ISBN 10: 1421441659
Pages: 320
Publication Date: 05 October 2021
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Available To Order
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Reviews
Highly recommended. -- Malcolm Peaker * Zoology Jottings *
Highly recommended. -- Malcolm Peaker * Zoology Jottings * Grant's writing is accessible, his explanations of complex science easily digestible, and he is full of genuinely amusing stories. If you ever doubted the validity of this iconic example of rapid evolution, Observing Evolution will set you straight. * Natural History Bookshop * For others who simply enjoy a good scientific detective story, this is among the best. * British Journal of Entomology and Natural History * In this engaging book, Grant documents the places he went and the extraordinary people he met, on this quest to understand parts of the peppered moth story that did not quite add up. -- James Mallet * Evolution *
Highly recommended. -- Malcolm Peaker * Zoology Jottings * Grant's writing is accessible, his explanations of complex science easily digestible, and he is full of genuinely amusing stories. If you ever doubted the validity of this iconic example of rapid evolution, Observing Evolution will set you straight. * Natural History Bookshop * For others who simply enjoy a good scientific detective story, this is among the best. * British Journal of Entomology and Natural History *
Author Information
Bruce S. Grant is Emeritus Professor of biology at the College of William & Mary.
