How much evolution is a matter of chance and how much its course is inevitable is a matter of prolonged debate explored in a new book from evolutionary biologist jonathan losos. Fate, chance, and the future of evolution paperback. Jonathan losos will discuss these questions and more as he presents content from his new book improbable destinies. Losos explores the meaning of terms such as fate, chance, convergence and contingency in evolution. Audiobooks science life sciences improbable destinies.
Jonathan losos is the curator of herpetology, lizards and the like, at the harvard museum of comparative zoology, and living on earths helen palmer went to meet him in his office there. Aug 18, 2017 the following is an excerpt from improbable destinies. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading improbable destinies. The following is an excerpt from improbable destinies. Improbable destinies fate, chance, and the future of. Fate, chance and the future of evolution, jonathan losos explores recent research, including his own pioneering experimental work with. Improbable destinies will change the way we think and talk about evolution. Fate, chance, and the future of evolution book online at best prices in india on. Sep 04, 2017 improbable destinies will change the way we think and talk about evolution. In their seminal book evolution and healing, randolph nesse and george c. After wondering how best to broadly describe improbable destinies, i concluded that its subtitle, fate, chance, and the future of evolution does it better than anything else i might come up with. A major new book overturning our assumptions about how evolution works earths natural history is full of fascinating instances of convergence. A major new work overturning our assumptions about how evoluti. Last year he published his first popular science book, improbable destinies.
Dec 31, 2017 here at this point of time comes improbable destinies fate, chance and the future of evolution authored by harvard professor and curator of museum of comparative zoology, jonathan b. Fate, chance, and the future of evolution, jonathan losos decided to explore the question of the extent to which evolutionary fate is. For an academic scientist with a milelong curriculum vitae, author jonathan b. Williams describe the design of human bodies as simultaneously extraordinarily precise and unbelievably slipshod. Was life destined to evolve the way it did, or are we and the rest of the world the fortunate result of the particular way. Aug 10, 2017 nevertheless, improbable destinies is deep, broad, brilliant and thoughtprovoking. Improbable destinies brings the highlights of evolutionary biology to nonscientists and scientists alike. Improbable destinies documents the roles of both fate and chance in studies using the experimental evolution approach and describes some of the conditions under which we can expect the evolution of repeated or convergent functional solutions versus unique oneoffs. Instead, its fast enough that we can observe it in real time. Does evolution bring the same results no matter what. Nprs robert siegel speaks with jonathan losos, author of the new book, improbable destinies.
Buy this book losos lizards in an evolutionary tree. Here at this point of time comes improbable destinies fate, chance and the future of evolution authored by harvard professor and curator of museum of comparative zoology. Gould published wonderful life, using the bizarre cambrian. Its subjectsthe unfolding of earths biological history, the precarious nature of human existence, and the likelihood of life on exoplanetsare presented in a detailed, exciting style expected from an authentic scientist and. Its subjects the unfolding of earths biological history, the precarious nature of human existence, and the likelihood of life on exoplanets are presented in a detailed, exciting style expected from an authentic scientist and naturalist. Aug 07, 2018 improbable destinies will change the way we think and talk about evolution. Are todays plants, animals and humans, inevitabilities or evolutionary flukes. A new era in the study of evolution harvard gazette. Fate, chance, and the future of evolution audiobook. Dec 01, 2017 its called improbable destinies fate, chance and the future of evolution. Rent improbable destinies fate, chance, and the future of evolution 1st edition 9780399184925 and save up to 80% on textbook rentals and 90% on used textbooks. This compelling narrative offers a new understanding of ourselves and our role in the natural world and the cosmos. Improbable destinies, fate, chance, and the future of evolution.
Fate, chance, and the future of evolution, harvard biologist and zoologist jonathan b. Louis is an internationally renowned scholar in the field of evolutionary biology, with a multitude of publications and a new book titled improbable destinies. Fate, chance, and the future of evolution, which explores the growing understanding of convergent. Fate, chance, and the future of evolution is just such a book. Biologist jonathan losos explores convergent evolution in. Losos improbable destinies is an interesting exploration of evolutionary biology. Fate, chance, and the future of evolution, and jonathan losos explained to living on earths helen palmer that examples from different ecosystems show natures inventiveness often. Biologist jonathan losos explores convergent evolution. Dec 14, 2017 drawing from his new book, improbable destinies. Danforth distinguished university professor of biology at washington university in st. Aug 28, 2017 in his new book, improbable destinies. Lososs insights into natural selection and evolutionary change have farreaching applications for protecting ecosystems, securing our food supply, and fighting off harmful viruses and bacteria. But evolutionary biologists also point out many examples of contingency, cases where the tini. Fate, chance, and the future of evolution paperback by jonathan b.
Losos has a knack for writing in a clear, downtoearth style. Nevertheless, improbable destinies is deep, broad, brilliant and thoughtprovoking. Indeed, they conclude that our inconsistencies are. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Fate, chance, and the future of evolution by losos, jonathan b. Lososs insights into natural selection and evolutionary change have farreaching. Losos infuses a sense of whimsy and playfulness into the staggeringly complex problems of evolution, explaining why the evidence must be tested and retested, new data introduced, with each generation of scientists. Fate, chance, and the future of evolution, jonathan losos decided to explore the question of the extent to which evolutionary fate is predetermined versus whether its a. The genomics revolution has proven that darwin was a prophet, his legacy still debated by evolutionary biologists across the globe.
Right up front, i have to admit that i was very excited for this book. Fate, chance, and the future of evolution 9780399184925. Fate, chance, and the future of evolution kindle edition by losos, jonathan b download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The author, jonathan losos does an excellent job of. Dec 11, 2018 jonathan losos is one of the worlds most eminent evolutionary biologists. The evolution matters lecture series is supported by a generous gift from drs. Jonathan losos will discuss these questions and more as he presents content from his new book, improbable destinies.
Its subjectsthe unfolding of earths biological history, the precarious nature of human existence, and the likelihood of life on. Losos fascinating, compulsively readable improbable destinies. Fate, chance, and the future of evolution, losos amusingly recounts the times during his research when he was outwitted by these peabrained anoles or coped. Fate, chance, and the future of evolution, by jonathan losos ironically, it was research on the birds bearing darwins namethe galapagos finchesthat drove the dagger through the heart of the idea that evolution is always slow. The evolution you talk about in improbable destinies is not the slow evolution described by charles darwin. Get 50% off this audiobook at the audiobooksnow online audio book store and download or stream it right to your computer, smartphone or tablet. As someone with an academic interest in both herpetology and rapid evolution, ive been an admirer of dr. Jonathan losos is one of the worlds most eminent evolutionary biologists.
Losos provides readers with a behindthescenes access to testing ideas about evolution, out in nature and in real time. After wondering how best to broadly describe, i concluded that its subtitle, fate, chance, and the future of evolution does it better than anything else i might come up with. Improbable destinies is one of the best books on evolutionary biology for a broad readership ever written. Improbable destinies documents the roles of both fate and chance in studies using the experimental evolution approach and describes some of. As someone with an academic interest in both herpetology and rapid evolution, ive been.
Improbable destinies, fate, chance, and the future of. Fate, chance and the future of evolution, jonathan losos explores recent research. Fate, chance, and the future of evolution jonathan b. Sep 07, 2017 nprs robert siegel speaks with jonathan losos, author of the new book, improbable destinies. If you are the publisher or author of this book and feel.
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