BIOLOGYAn Illustrated History of Life Science
(100 Ponderables)
Tom Jackson
Includes a removable, foldout 12-page timeline/chart poster
978-1-62795-093-0 | Hardcover | 144 pages | 9.4″ x 10.9″
List Price: $24.95
DESCRIPTION
Here is the essential guide to biology, an authoritative reference book and foldout timeline that examines how we have uncovered the secrets of life – the most complex process in the Universe! From the workings of molecules to the way entire oceans or continents of life forms interact, biology seeks to understand how it is that something can be alive, how it fends off death and how it leaves more life in its wake. We follow the journey through the history of life science to find out why the dolphin got its name (it is the womb fish), how a seven-foot strand of DNA is able to build your body, and what gives a lobster its blue blood. The great names, such as Darwin and Linnaeus, are joined by lesser known discoverers, such as Karl von Frisch who discovered that bees dance and Jan Baptist van Helmont who found a plant uses air and water to grow. Biology today is still very much a live science, finding a purpose in robot design and helping us to understand non-living complex systems like the Internet. Biology has changed the way we understand ourselves. What will it tell us next? Biology is part of the bestselling 100 Ponderables series which tackles STEM subjects by partnering lively text about significant milestones with stunning illustrations. Every book includes a timeline/chart poster which puts these milestones in historical context. Perfect for smart kids and curious adults!
REVIEWS
“…you’ll find beautifully illustrated pages listing 100 breakthroughs and important subject areas in the field…all explained in plain language that is easily accessible. These are great texts for reference or exploring a new area of interest, and they have a foldout timeline guide… depicting milestones in the field.”
Jaime Herndon, American Scientist, 2024
“VERDICT This beautifully designed book deserves a spot in every life sciences collection. Whether browsed or read straight through, it will be an enjoyable selection for anyone interested in learning about scientific discoveries that changed the way we understand the world.”
Library Journal, Starred Review, Cynthia Lee Knight, Hunterdon Cty. Historical Soc., Flemington, NJ.
“From the study of the cell to the biosphere, from DNA to dinosaurs, the scope of modern biology is astonishing. Science writer Jackson whittles down the discipline into 100 topics, terms, theories, and breakthroughs that highlight its historical evolution. The one to two-page entries are arranged chronologically, beginning with early ideas such as spontaneous generation and concluding with some of the field’s latest advances in synthetic biology, cloning, and genetic engineering. Photographs, charts, diagrams, and images of medieval herbs and bestiaries draw in the eye, especially the photo of an underwater plant releasing oxygen during photosynthesis with the oxygen gas visible as pearl-like bubbles covering the plant. Rounding out this whirlwind tour is a peek at some of the big unanswered questions in biology—how proteins fold, the origin of life, the biological basis of aging—as well as short biographies of 31 biologists. VERDICT This beautifully designed book deserves a spot in every life sciences collection. Whether browsed or read straight through, it will be an enjoyable selection for anyone interested in learning about scientific discoveries that changed the way we understand the world.”
Library Journal, Cynthia Lee Knight, Hunterdon Cty. Historical Soc., Flemington, NJ
AUTHOR BIO
Tom Jackson is a science writer based in the United Kingdom. Tom specializes in recasting science and technology into lively historical narratives. After almost 20 years of writing, Tom has uncovered a wealth of stories that help create new ways to enjoy learning about science. He studied at the University of Bristol and still lives in the city with his wife and three children.