Seven Clues Origin Li - Hardcover

Cairns-Smith, A. G.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0521275229 ISBN 13: 9780521275224

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 1985

Synopsis

This concise readable book explains, in language understandable to a wide audience, the author's somewhat controversial views about the possible origin of life. His major statement on the subject, 'Genetic Takeover' (published by the Press in 1982) attracted much publicity and acclaim. With the upsurge of interest in evolution there has been considerable debate about primeval events and in this book the evidence is presented in an amusing and logical manner in the style of a detective story.

About this title

Review:

'I know of no other book that succeeds as well as this one in maintaining the central question in focus throughout. It is a summary of the best evolutionary thinking as applied to the origins of life in which the important issues are addressed pertinently, economically and with a happy recourse to creative analogies.' Nature

'... a splendid story - and a much more convincing one than the molecular biologists can offer as an alternative. Cairns-Smith has argued his case before in the technical scientific literature, here he sets it out in a way from which anyone - even those whose chemistry and biology stopped at 16 - can learn.' New Statesman

Book Description:

This book addresses the question of how life may have arisen on earth, in the spirit of an intriguing detective story. It relies on the methods of Sherlock Holmes, in particular his principle that one should use the most paradoxical features of a case to crack it. This approach to the essential biological problems is not merely light-hearted, but a fascinating scrutiny of some very fundamental questions.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 1985
• ISBN 10: 0521275229
• ISBN 13: 9780521275224
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 154