Items related to Death on Earth: Adventures in Evolution and Mortality
As you read these words, Planet Earth teems with trillions of life-forms, each going about its own business: eating, reproducing, thriving . . . Yet, the life of almost every single organism draws nearer to certain death. On the other hand, “suicide” inside the mitochondria that live within us results in the death of millions of cells each second for our own good! Why is death such a universal companion to life on Earth? Why haven't animals evolved to break free of its shackles?
In this wide-ranging exploration of death, Jules Howard attempts to shed evolutionary light on one of our biggest and most unshakable taboos. He visits a salon that's trying to abolish our queasiness over talking about death. He also looks to the nematode, one of the most basic of life-forms, for clues about why near-starvation actually can prolong life. Encountering some of the world's oldest animals, and meeting the scientists attempting to unravel their mysteries, Howard also comes face to face with evolution's outliers--the animals that may one day avoid death altogether.
Written in an engaging style, DEATH ON EARTH's journey ends with the inevitable question: Can we ever become immortal? And if we could, would we really want to?
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About the Author:
Jules Howard is a zoologist, writer, blogger, and broadcaster. He writes on a host of topics related to zoology and wildlife conservation and appears regularly in BBC Wildlife magazine. Howard is the author of SEX ON EARTH and lives in Northamptonshire, United Kingdom.
Review:
"Though death is usually a somber subject, this title is filled with humorous details . . . Fans of Howard’s first title, Sex on Earth: A Journey Through Nature’s Most Intimate Moments, will find the same wittiness, mindfulness, and clever presentation of scientifically sound ideas here. Anyone interested in a lighthearted contemplation of a sorrowful topic will appreciate this work." - Library Journal
"An altogether eye-opening, engaging, and enjoyably humorous (but never distasteful) guided tour through the world of death . . . It's an incredibly approachable and oddly enjoyable exposition of a topic about which many of us would rather not think (probably because it scares us to death)." - Collin McCabe, Science Magazine
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherBloomsbury Sigma
- Publication date2017
- ISBN 10 1472915097
- ISBN 13 9781472915092
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages288
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Death on Earth: Adventures in Evolution and Mortality
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Death on Earth (Paperback)
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. There is nothing more life-affirming than understanding death in all its forms. Natural selection depends on death; little would evolve without it. Every animal on Earth is shaped by its presence and fashioned by its spectre. We are all survivors of starvation, drought, volcanic eruptions, meteorites, plagues, parasites, predators, freak weather events, tussles and scraps, and our bodies are shaped by these ancient events. Some animals live for just a few hours as adults, others prefer to kill themselves rather than live unnecessarily for longer than they are needed, and there are a number of animals that can live for centuries. There are parasites that drive their hosts to die awful deaths, and parasites that manipulate their hosts to live longer, healthier lives. There is death in life. Amongst all of this, there is us, the upright ape; perhaps the first animal in the history of the universe fully conscious that death really is going to happen to us all in the end. With a narrative featuring a fish with a fake eye, the oldest animal in the world, the immortal jellyfish and some of the world's top death-investigating biologists, Death on Earth explores the never-ending cycle of death and the impact death has on the living, and muses on how evolution and death affect us every single day. Why are we so weird about death? Where does this fear come from? Why are we so afraid of ageing? And how might knowledge of ageing in other animals help us live better lives, free of the diseases of old age? Shortlisted for the Royal Society of Biology s 2016 General Biology Book Prize, Death on Earth is a groundbreaking exploration of death and its role in evolution." Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9781472915092
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Book Description Paperback / softback. Condition: New. New copy - Usually dispatched within 4 working days. Shortlisted for the Royal Society of Biology s 2016 General Biology Book Prize, Death on Earth is a groundbreaking exploration of death and its role in evolution.". Seller Inventory # B9781472915092
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Book Description Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware - There is nothing more life-affirming than understanding death in all its forms.Natural selection depends on death; little would evolve without it. Every animal on Earth is shaped by its presence and fashioned by its spectre. We are all survivors of starvation, drought, volcanic eruptions, meteorites, plagues, parasites, predators, freak weather events, tussles and scraps, and our bodies are shaped by these ancient events. Some animals live for just a few hours as adults, others prefer to kill themselves rather than live unnecessarily for longer than they are needed, and there are a number of animals that can live for centuries. There are parasites that drive their hosts to die awful deaths, and parasites that manipulate their hosts to live longer, healthier lives. There is death in life.Amongst all of this, there is us, the upright ape; perhaps the first animal in the history of the universe fully conscious that death really is going to happen to us all in the end.With a narrative featuring a fish with a fake eye, the oldest animal in the world, the immortal jellyfish and some of the world's top death-investigating biologists, Death on Earth explores the never-ending cycle of death and the impact death has on the living, and muses on how evolution and death affect us every single day. Why are we so weird about death Where does this fear come from Why are we so afraid of ageing And how might knowledge of ageing in other animals help us live better lives, free of the diseases of old age. Seller Inventory # 9781472915092
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Death on Earth (Paperback)
Published by
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ISBN 10: 1472915097
ISBN 13: 9781472915092
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. There is nothing more life-affirming than understanding death in all its forms. Natural selection depends on death; little would evolve without it. Every animal on Earth is shaped by its presence and fashioned by its spectre. We are all survivors of starvation, drought, volcanic eruptions, meteorites, plagues, parasites, predators, freak weather events, tussles and scraps, and our bodies are shaped by these ancient events. Some animals live for just a few hours as adults, others prefer to kill themselves rather than live unnecessarily for longer than they are needed, and there are a number of animals that can live for centuries. There are parasites that drive their hosts to die awful deaths, and parasites that manipulate their hosts to live longer, healthier lives. There is death in life. Amongst all of this, there is us, the upright ape; perhaps the first animal in the history of the universe fully conscious that death really is going to happen to us all in the end. With a narrative featuring a fish with a fake eye, the oldest animal in the world, the immortal jellyfish and some of the world's top death-investigating biologists, Death on Earth explores the never-ending cycle of death and the impact death has on the living, and muses on how evolution and death affect us every single day. Why are we so weird about death? Where does this fear come from? Why are we so afraid of ageing? And how might knowledge of ageing in other animals help us live better lives, free of the diseases of old age? Shortlisted for the Royal Society of Biology s 2016 General Biology Book Prize, Death on Earth is a groundbreaking exploration of death and its role in evolution." Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9781472915092
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