Plus, receive recommendations and exclusive offers on all of your favorite books and authors from Simon & Schuster.
Table of Contents
About The Book
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.
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.
Product Details
- Publisher: Pegasus Books (September 3, 2024)
- Length: 272 pages
- ISBN13: 9781639367740
Browse Related Books
Raves and Reviews
"In this witty, wise, and accessible book, Jules Howard celebrates the humble egg. Breezy and conversational, Howard goes on a journey spanning billions of years, from the first bacteria to us. This is as fun and engaging as science writing gets, and by the end of the book, it’s astounding how much you’ve learned about the history of life."
– Steve Brusatte, professor and paleontologist at the University of Edinburgh and New York Times bestselling author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs
"Jules Howard’s egg’s-eye view of evolution is dripping with fascinating insights."
– Alice Roberts, author of Ancestors
"One of my favorite science writers."
– Lucy Cooke, author of Bitch: A Revolutionary Guide to Sex, Evolution and the Female Animal
"A startlingly beautiful exploration of evolution’s crucibles of creation."
– Rebecca Wragg Sykes, author of Kindred
"Mind-bending in the best possible ways. A joy to read."
– Helen Scales, author of The Brilliant Abyss
"Finally, the egg gets the recognition it deserves in this wonderfully evocative telling of its journey through time and place."
– Gaia Vince, author of Nomad Century and Transcendence
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
"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
"Zoologist Howard enlists the help of veterinary professionals, psychologists, ethologists, neurologists, historians, and others in this eclectic history of dogs."
– Publishers Weekly
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Infinite Life Hardcover 9781639367740
