A leading philosopher of science discusses the evolution of the cephalopod mind, shares photos of cephalopod encounters taken during his advanced scuba dives, and offers insights into how nature became self-aware.

Professor Bryan Sykes gives a firsthand account of his research into a gene which passes undiluted from generation to generation through the maternal line.

"When homo sapiens made their entrance 100,000 years ago they were confronted by a wide range of other early humans--homo erectus, who walked better and used fire; homo habilis who used tools; and of course the Neanderthals, who were brawny and strong. But shortly after their arrival, something happened that vaulted the species forward and made them the indisputable masters of the planet. This book is devoted to revealing just what that difference...

A lighthearted survey of the science of mistakes by the authors of Chances Are reveals how the human race is hard-wired to get things wrong in countless ways, citing such examples as successful racy advertisements for inferior products, our inclinations to favor dysfunctional relationship partners, and the socially unacceptable behaviors of leaders.

Why is life the way it is? Bacteria evolved into complex life just once in four billion years of life on earth - and all complex life shares many strange properties, from sex to ageing and death. If life evolved on other planets, would it be the same or completely different? In The Vital Question, Nick Lane radically reframes evolutionary history, putting forward a cogent solution to conundrums that have troubled scientists for decades. The answer,...

"Dr. Harold Klawans examines people ranging from the woman suffering from "painful foot and moving toe syndrome," whose case reminds him that we were once reptiles with brains at the bases of our spines, to the farmer from Indiana who didn't have mad cow disease, but something similar, caused by a protein-like pathogen that man himself has helped nurture by removing the pressures of natural selection from his herds of livestock and from his own communities....

The author guides us on a wondrous journey through the past four billion years, from the formation of the first biomolecules to the complexities of the human mind, from microscopic chains of amino acids and nucleotides to cataclysmic events in distant galaxies, arriving at the compelling conclusion that the universe is strewn with "vital dust" capable of spawning life anywhere under the right conditions. Life and mind are not accidents; they are natural...