The Seeds of Life: From Aristotle to da Vinci, from Sharks' Teeth to Frogs' Pants, the Long and Strange Quest to Discover Where Babies Come From
Autor Edward Dolnicken Limba Engleză Hardback – 5 iun 2017
Vezi toate premiile Carte premiată
Kirkus Prize (2017)
Why
cracking
the
code
of
human
conception
took
centuries
of
wild
theories,
misogynist
blunders,
and
ludicrous
mistakes
Throughout most of human history, babies were surprises. People knew the basics: men and women had sex, and sometimes babies followed. But beyond that the origins of life were a colossal mystery.The Seeds of Lifeis the remarkable and rollicking story of how a series of blundering geniuses and brilliant amateurs struggled for two centuries to discover where, exactly, babies come from.
Taking a page from investigative thrillers, acclaimed science writer Edward Dolnick looks to these early scientists as if they were detectives hot on the trail of a bedeviling and urgent mystery. These strange searchers included an Italian surgeon using shark teeth to prove that female reproductive organs were not 'failed' male genitalia, and a Catholic priest who designed ingenious miniature pants to prove that frogs required semen to fertilize their eggs.
A witty and rousing history of science,The Seeds of Lifepresents our greatest scientists struggling-against their perceptions, their religious beliefs, and their deep-seated prejudices-to uncover how and where we come from.
Throughout most of human history, babies were surprises. People knew the basics: men and women had sex, and sometimes babies followed. But beyond that the origins of life were a colossal mystery.The Seeds of Lifeis the remarkable and rollicking story of how a series of blundering geniuses and brilliant amateurs struggled for two centuries to discover where, exactly, babies come from.
Taking a page from investigative thrillers, acclaimed science writer Edward Dolnick looks to these early scientists as if they were detectives hot on the trail of a bedeviling and urgent mystery. These strange searchers included an Italian surgeon using shark teeth to prove that female reproductive organs were not 'failed' male genitalia, and a Catholic priest who designed ingenious miniature pants to prove that frogs required semen to fertilize their eggs.
A witty and rousing history of science,The Seeds of Lifepresents our greatest scientists struggling-against their perceptions, their religious beliefs, and their deep-seated prejudices-to uncover how and where we come from.
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Specificații
ISBN-13: 9780465082957
ISBN-10: 0465082955
Pagini: 320
Dimensiuni: 165 x 241 x 32 mm
Greutate: 0.54 kg
Ediția:1
Editura: BASIC BOOKS
Colecția Basic Books
ISBN-10: 0465082955
Pagini: 320
Dimensiuni: 165 x 241 x 32 mm
Greutate: 0.54 kg
Ediția:1
Editura: BASIC BOOKS
Colecția Basic Books
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Notă biografică
Edward
Dolnickis
the
former
chief
science
writer
forThe
Boston
Globeand
is
the
author
of,
among
others,The
RushandThe
Clockwork
Universe.
He
splits
his
time
between
Virginia
and
New
York
City.
Recenzii
Finalist
for
the
2017
Kirkus
Prize
for
Nonfiction
"An engaging and exuberant tour through centuries of thought about reproduction."
—Wall Street Journal
"Dolnick weaves a suspenseful tale of discovery, failure and often just plain weirdness while never losing sight of the mystery at hand."
—Scientific America
"As a record of a long biological quest,The Seeds of Lifeis full of detours, but that structure mimics the nature of scientific progress, illustrating how science is promoted or held back by colorful characters, by state and church intrusion or assistance, never lacking for rivalries and power struggles. Fascinating reading, Dolnick's book should evoke in us a sense of humility rather than amusement at the ignorance of the scientists of old."
—New York Times Book Review
"Full of intriguing anecdotes and colorful historical figures."
—Science Magazine
"Edward Dolnick's absorbing detective story spans outlandish ancient theories on baby-making and the nineteenth-century dawn of embryology, led by pioneers such as Oscar Hertwig."
—Nature
"The Seeds of Lifeis science-history writing at its very best. It tells a great story that reads like a mystery novel. But Dolnick also uses the story to demonstrate how science advances: through curiosity, brilliant insight, analogy, logic, experimentation, and hard work. Equally, he shows how it can be retarded by unexamined assumptions, ad hominem arguments, misplaced ego, and stubborn adherence to outworn theories."
—Commentary Magazine
"Combining first-class research and a truly delightful writing style, Dolnick shares his fascination with the
history of science and our perception of reproduction in this enlightening and enjoyable read."
—Booklist
"A story with many wrong turns and near misses, skillfully tantalizing modern readers with hints of a great truth obscured by lack of information. [Dolnick] does an excellent job of explaining the critical role that religion played for early modern biologists."
—Library Journal
"A delightful history...[The Seeds of Lifeis] the best sort of science history, explaining not only how great men made great discoveries, but why equally great men, trapped by prejudices and what seemed to be plain common sense, missed what was in front of their noses."
—Kirkus, starred review
"Edward Dolnick delightfully unravels the strange, unreal, and often laugh-inducing tales born from man's long quest to find out 'where babies come from.' Well-researched and engagingly written,The Seeds of Lifeis a charmer of history: quotable, fast-paced, and a reminder that science's messy, fumbling, and flat-out faulty progress is often much stranger than fiction!"
—Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz, author ofDr. Mutter's Marvels: A True Tale of Intrigue and Innovation at the Dawn of Modern Medicine
"Like all good history,The Seeds of Lifereminds us of so much we take for granted. Any high school student who pays attention in biology class knows some secrets about sex that eluded generations of brilliant investigators. In clear and engaging prose, Edward Dolnick traces the fascinating breakthroughs, and even more interesting blind alleys, explored by these pioneers of procreation. It's a history lesson and a biology lesson, enriched by vivid portraits of the often eccentric but always remarkable men who wielded scalpels and microscopes, trying to explain where babies come from."
—Ernest Freeberg, author ofThe Age of Edison: Electric Light and the Invention of Modern America
"A wonderful, astonishing story, beautifully told. Edward Dolnick has surpassed himself (and everyone else)!"
—David Wootton, author ofThe Invention of Science: A New History of the Scientific Revolution
"An engaging and exuberant tour through centuries of thought about reproduction."
—Wall Street Journal
"Dolnick weaves a suspenseful tale of discovery, failure and often just plain weirdness while never losing sight of the mystery at hand."
—Scientific America
"As a record of a long biological quest,The Seeds of Lifeis full of detours, but that structure mimics the nature of scientific progress, illustrating how science is promoted or held back by colorful characters, by state and church intrusion or assistance, never lacking for rivalries and power struggles. Fascinating reading, Dolnick's book should evoke in us a sense of humility rather than amusement at the ignorance of the scientists of old."
—New York Times Book Review
"Full of intriguing anecdotes and colorful historical figures."
—Science Magazine
"Edward Dolnick's absorbing detective story spans outlandish ancient theories on baby-making and the nineteenth-century dawn of embryology, led by pioneers such as Oscar Hertwig."
—Nature
"The Seeds of Lifeis science-history writing at its very best. It tells a great story that reads like a mystery novel. But Dolnick also uses the story to demonstrate how science advances: through curiosity, brilliant insight, analogy, logic, experimentation, and hard work. Equally, he shows how it can be retarded by unexamined assumptions, ad hominem arguments, misplaced ego, and stubborn adherence to outworn theories."
—Commentary Magazine
"Combining first-class research and a truly delightful writing style, Dolnick shares his fascination with the
history of science and our perception of reproduction in this enlightening and enjoyable read."
—Booklist
"A story with many wrong turns and near misses, skillfully tantalizing modern readers with hints of a great truth obscured by lack of information. [Dolnick] does an excellent job of explaining the critical role that religion played for early modern biologists."
—Library Journal
"A delightful history...[The Seeds of Lifeis] the best sort of science history, explaining not only how great men made great discoveries, but why equally great men, trapped by prejudices and what seemed to be plain common sense, missed what was in front of their noses."
—Kirkus, starred review
"Edward Dolnick delightfully unravels the strange, unreal, and often laugh-inducing tales born from man's long quest to find out 'where babies come from.' Well-researched and engagingly written,The Seeds of Lifeis a charmer of history: quotable, fast-paced, and a reminder that science's messy, fumbling, and flat-out faulty progress is often much stranger than fiction!"
—Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz, author ofDr. Mutter's Marvels: A True Tale of Intrigue and Innovation at the Dawn of Modern Medicine
"Like all good history,The Seeds of Lifereminds us of so much we take for granted. Any high school student who pays attention in biology class knows some secrets about sex that eluded generations of brilliant investigators. In clear and engaging prose, Edward Dolnick traces the fascinating breakthroughs, and even more interesting blind alleys, explored by these pioneers of procreation. It's a history lesson and a biology lesson, enriched by vivid portraits of the often eccentric but always remarkable men who wielded scalpels and microscopes, trying to explain where babies come from."
—Ernest Freeberg, author ofThe Age of Edison: Electric Light and the Invention of Modern America
"A wonderful, astonishing story, beautifully told. Edward Dolnick has surpassed himself (and everyone else)!"
—David Wootton, author ofThe Invention of Science: A New History of the Scientific Revolution
Premii
- Kirkus Prize Finalist, 2017