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The ancestor's tale : a pilgrimage to the dawn of life / Richard Dawkins ; with additional research by Yan Wong.

By: Contributor(s): Publication details: London : Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2016.Edition: Updated editionDescription: 771 p. : illustrations (black and white, and colour) ; 24 cmSubject(s): DDC classification:
  • 23 576.83
Contents:
Preface to the second edition -- Acknowledgements -- The conceit of hindsight -- The general prologue -- All Humankind -- Archaic Homo Sapiens -- Ergasts -- Habilines - Ape-men -- 1. Chimpanzees -- 2. Gorillas -- 3. Organ Utans -- 4. Gibbons -- 5. Old world monkeys -- 6. New world monkeys -- 7. Tarsiers -- 8. Lemurs, bushbabies and their kin -- 9. & 10. Colugos and three shrews -- 11. Rodents and rabbitkind -- 12. Laurasiatheres -- 13. Xenarthrans and afrotheres -- 14. Marsupials -- 15. Monotremes -- 16. Sauropsids -- 17. Amphibians -- 18. Lungfish -- 19. Coelcanths -- 20. Ray-finned fish -- 21. Sharks and their kin -- 22. Lampreys and hagfish -- 23. Sea Squirts -- 24. Lancelets -- 25. Ambulacrarians -- 26. Prontostomes -- 27. Acoelomorph Flatworms -- 28. Cnidarians -- 29. Ctenophores -- 30. Placeozoans -- 31. Sponges -- 32. Choanoflagellates -- 33. Filstereans -- 34. Drips -- 35. Fungi -- 36. Uncertain -- 37. Amoebozoans -- 38. Light harvesters and their kin -- The great historic rendezvous -- 39. Archaea -- 40. Eubacteria -- Canterbury -- The host's return -- Further reading -- Notes to the phylogenies and reconstrucion -- Bibliography -- Illustration credits -- Index
Summary: In this dazzling, four-billion-year pilgrimage to the origins of life, Richard Dawkins and Yan Wong take us on an exhilarating reserve journey through evolution, from present-day humans back to the microbial beginnings of life. The journey is enlivened by remarkable encounters with fellow modern animals, as well as plants, fungi and bacteria, similarly tracing their evolutionary path back through history. As each evolutionary pilgrim reveals their tales, Dawkins and Wong shed light on topics such as behaviour, speciation, genetics, sex and extinction. The result is a comprehensive survey of our knowledge of the natural world. Written with unparalled wit, clarity and intelligence, this extensively updated edition of Richard Dawkin's classic book takes in the major new scientific advances of the past decade, further vindicating the 'gene's eye view' of evolution popularised by Dawkins throughout his career. The Ancestor's Tale shows us how remarkable we are, how astonishing our history, and how intimate our relationship with the rest of life on Earth.
List(s) this item appears in: New acquisitions 2016
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Holdings
Item type Current library Collection Call number Status Date due Barcode
Loanable Book Library General Collection 576.83 DAW (Browse shelf(Opens below)) Available 000413935

Previous edition: London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson Illustrated, 2004.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Preface to the second edition -- Acknowledgements -- The conceit of hindsight -- The general prologue -- All Humankind -- Archaic Homo Sapiens -- Ergasts -- Habilines - Ape-men -- 1. Chimpanzees -- 2. Gorillas -- 3. Organ Utans -- 4. Gibbons -- 5. Old world monkeys -- 6. New world monkeys -- 7. Tarsiers -- 8. Lemurs, bushbabies and their kin -- 9. & 10. Colugos and three shrews -- 11. Rodents and rabbitkind -- 12. Laurasiatheres -- 13. Xenarthrans and afrotheres -- 14. Marsupials -- 15. Monotremes -- 16. Sauropsids -- 17. Amphibians -- 18. Lungfish -- 19. Coelcanths -- 20. Ray-finned fish -- 21. Sharks and their kin -- 22. Lampreys and hagfish -- 23. Sea Squirts -- 24. Lancelets -- 25. Ambulacrarians -- 26. Prontostomes -- 27. Acoelomorph Flatworms -- 28. Cnidarians -- 29. Ctenophores -- 30. Placeozoans -- 31. Sponges -- 32. Choanoflagellates -- 33. Filstereans -- 34. Drips -- 35. Fungi -- 36. Uncertain -- 37. Amoebozoans -- 38. Light harvesters and their kin -- The great historic rendezvous -- 39. Archaea -- 40. Eubacteria -- Canterbury -- The host's return -- Further reading -- Notes to the phylogenies and reconstrucion -- Bibliography -- Illustration credits -- Index

In this dazzling, four-billion-year pilgrimage to the origins of life, Richard Dawkins and Yan Wong take us on an exhilarating reserve journey through evolution, from present-day humans back to the microbial beginnings of life.

The journey is enlivened by remarkable encounters with fellow modern animals, as well as plants, fungi and bacteria, similarly tracing their evolutionary path back through history. As each evolutionary pilgrim reveals their tales, Dawkins and Wong shed light on topics such as behaviour, speciation, genetics, sex and extinction. The result is a comprehensive survey of our knowledge of the natural world.

Written with unparalled wit, clarity and intelligence, this extensively updated edition of Richard Dawkin's classic book takes in the major new scientific advances of the past decade, further vindicating the 'gene's eye view' of evolution popularised by Dawkins throughout his career. The Ancestor's Tale shows us how remarkable we are, how astonishing our history, and how intimate our relationship with the rest of life on Earth.

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