Just before Christmas I was sent a copy of the rather splendid Life Ascending by Nick Lane (author of Power, Sex, Suicide).
Over the last decades, groundbreaking new research has provided vivid insights into the molecular makeup of life. These discoveries have helped explain the evolution of life on earth in unprecedented detail.
Lane uses this new knowledge to describe the ten greatest inventions of life, based on their historical impact, their importance in living organisms today, and their iconic power. In ten chapters, he explains the origin of life itself, the formation of DNA, the marvel of photosynthesis, the evolution of complex cells, the power of sex, the secret of movement, the perfection of the eye, the reasons for hot blood, the emergence of consciousness, and the evitability of death.
I'm still devouring Atul Gawande's The Checklist Manifesto and a stack of others, but if the opening is anything to go by, this is a corker of a book. That behemoth of biological blogging, Pharyngula, posted a review of the hardcover some time back which you can read here. Mostly I'm looking forward to the chapter on sight, if only so I can completely demolish those stupid Intelligent Design freaks who insist the eye is irreducibly complex. Though with chapters on the invention of sex, DNA and life itself, this book is a wonderful whistlestop tour of evolution's greatest moments. If the science punk in your life has a birthday coming up, this might just be the perfect gift.