What is Life? The Next Fifty Years: Speculations on the Future of Biology - Softcover

Murphy/O'Neill

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0521599393 ISBN 13: 9780521599399

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2008

Synopsis

Erwin Schrödinger's book What is Life? had a tremendous influence on the development of molecular biology, stimulating scientists such as Watson and Crick to explore the physical basis of life. Much of the appeal of Schrödinger's book lay in its approach to the central problems in biology - heredity and how organisms use energy to maintain order - from a physicist's perspective. At Trinity College, Dublin a number of outstanding scientists from a range of disciplines gathered to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of What is Life? and following Schrödinger's example fifty years previously, presented their views on the current central problems in biology. The contributors to this volume include Stephen Jay Gould, Roger Penrose, Jared Diamond, Manfred Eigen, John Maynard Smith, Christien de Duve and Lewis Wolpert. This collection is essential reading for anyone interested in biology and its future.

About this title

Review:

'... a thought provoking book...'. Science and Christian Belief

'Given the galaxy of contributors it could hardly fail. It hasn't... a stimulating book.' A. G. Cairns-Smith, Origins of Life and Evolution of the Biosphere

'The authors are among the most illustrious and distinguished scientists of today ... an enjoyable ... journey through the outer reaches of biology.' Robert Foley, Annals of Human Genetics

'... if you want one slim book that contains as many stimulating ideas as a small library, this is it.' Alan Anderson, New Scientist

Book Description:

Erwin Schrödinger's 1943 book What is Life? was tremendously influential on the development of molecular biology. The Next Fifty Years presents the views of eminent scientists on current problems in biology. This collection is essential reading for anyone interested in biology and its future.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0521599393
• ISBN 13: 9780521599399
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 204