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40 reviews for:
Endless Forms Most Beautiful: The New Science of Evo Devo and the Making of the Animal Kingdom
Sean B. Carroll
4.04 AVERAGE
40 reviews for:
Endless Forms Most Beautiful: The New Science of Evo Devo and the Making of the Animal Kingdom
Sean B. Carroll
4.04 AVERAGE
Brilliant book. Easy to read and yet doesn't skimp on the science. I understand Evo Devo about 400% more than I did before reading it.
Excellent readable review of one of the leading areas of our knowledge of evolution. Shows how little changes in genes can lead to the greater changes that we now know. My 8th graders read a section of it, and liked the photo of the drosophila mutants and the cyclops lamb.
informative
medium-paced
This is a very interesting subject which I haven't previously read much about. However, the writing itself frustrated me at times. He spends too long describing aspects that seemed straightforward and glosses over parts that I would have liked to know more about. Also, his language for qualitatively describing gene regulation is confusing and hard to keep straight, not least because it fails to properly acknowledge that many transcription factors regulate other transcription factors. I'm fact, his language doesn't use the words "transcription factors" at all, as if he is worked that sort of terminology will intimidate the lay reader. I think if you know very little about biology, this writing may work for you. However, if you are familiar with other biological and genetic topics but are new to "Evo Devo," then this writing may leave you unsatisfied about this fascinating topic.
if you're looking for a one book summary on Evo Devo, this is it. explains how embryology has transformed in the past several decades to become one of the most exciting areas of biology, producing some of the best evidence for evolutionary history.
I received a BS in Biology in 1984 and had an affinity toward genetics. This book was written and published in 2005 and referred to advances and discoveries in biology over the preceding 20 years that more firmly supported the idea that forms of insect, fish, mammals, and other animals changed over the hundreds of millions of years of its' existence of this planet.
A PERIOD DURING WHICH I MISSED OUT ON SOME OF THOSE ADVANCES!!
Over the past decade or so I have made an attempt to remedy that shortcoming. (Your Inner Fish by Neil Shubin, and The Third Chimpanzee by Jared Diamond are notable)
Dr. Carroll's book reads on a level that makes it accessible to more than those who have studied within the biological sciences, and has a straight-forward approach to the delivery of concepts that have been ascertained over the decades of study by many, may researchers.
The text lays out references to strong evidence for the biological changes in development and form of animals, past and present, include our own genus and species.
I was pleased that Dr. Carroll ended with a slight critique and condemnation (although gentle) of Creationism and its bastard offspring Intelligent Design. (other good reads: The Devil in Dover by Lauri Lebo, and The Battle Over the Meaning of Everything by Gordy Slack)
The section for Further Readings has offered prospectives for me for follow-ups and leads to increase my knowledge and understanding of EvoDevo (Evolutionary Development).
A PERIOD DURING WHICH I MISSED OUT ON SOME OF THOSE ADVANCES!!
Over the past decade or so I have made an attempt to remedy that shortcoming. (Your Inner Fish by Neil Shubin, and The Third Chimpanzee by Jared Diamond are notable)
Dr. Carroll's book reads on a level that makes it accessible to more than those who have studied within the biological sciences, and has a straight-forward approach to the delivery of concepts that have been ascertained over the decades of study by many, may researchers.
The text lays out references to strong evidence for the biological changes in development and form of animals, past and present, include our own genus and species.
I was pleased that Dr. Carroll ended with a slight critique and condemnation (although gentle) of Creationism and its bastard offspring Intelligent Design. (other good reads: The Devil in Dover by Lauri Lebo, and The Battle Over the Meaning of Everything by Gordy Slack)
The section for Further Readings has offered prospectives for me for follow-ups and leads to increase my knowledge and understanding of EvoDevo (Evolutionary Development).
informative
medium-paced
I learned a lot form this book. I have a degree in Evolution and ecology so I'm not sure how approachable this will be for beginners or people who don't have a background biological science, but I liked it.
This book has a lot of pictures and diagrams. I found the graphics in this book very helpful. If you are a visual learner or need to/like to see information mapped out for you like I do, then I think this book might be good for you.
This book has a lot of pictures and diagrams. I found the graphics in this book very helpful. If you are a visual learner or need to/like to see information mapped out for you like I do, then I think this book might be good for you.
Some interesting points but something about threading together Bob Dylan quotes and growing three legged chickens just doesn't work for me... great on their own, just not together.
OK, I think I only really understood about 60% of this, but it was still totally fascinating.
There is a massive and bewildering gap in biology education, even to some extent to the tertiary level, between genetics and the study of development and form. This book is essential to anyone who wants/needs that gap filled.
This book is absorbingly written and very well ordered. It also has an excellent "further reading section", of which several books will be hitting my "want to read" shelf very soon...
My only quibble is that the plates don't exactly match the description in the text, and the in-text figures are unnecessarily complicated/ poorly labelled in places.
This book is absorbingly written and very well ordered. It also has an excellent "further reading section", of which several books will be hitting my "want to read" shelf very soon...
My only quibble is that the plates don't exactly match the description in the text, and the in-text figures are unnecessarily complicated/ poorly labelled in places.