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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
challenging
informative
slow-paced
Losos' book is a great example of how a complex topic can be brought to a general audience in an exciting writing style, accompanied by beautiful illustrations. Having a background in evolutionary biology myself, I am probably not the best person to tell how accessible the book is, but my feeling was very positive.
I loved discovering all the examples and counterexamples of convergent evolution. There is obviously still a lot to learn on the topic and there will certainly never be a clear-cut answer - because that is not how nature works. This book provides an excellent overview of the current state of knowledge about convergent evolution and the predictability of evolution. Highly recommended!
The only negative criticism I have (because there has to be some) is that this book is strongly focused on an American audience, without "translations" for others. As a non-American, I cannot help but flinch at the pervasive use of the imperial system of measurements and degrees Fahrenheit.
I also wish scientist authors and others would stop showcasing researchers by their affiliation to certain universities, and rather focus on their achievements ("Harvard researcher John Smith": his affiliation does not make John Smith a good researcher). One last thing that could change is the very colonial use of "New World" and "Old World" (or "West Indies"). Humans were there before Europeans colonised these areas, so let's just call these geographic areas what they are.
I loved discovering all the examples and counterexamples of convergent evolution. There is obviously still a lot to learn on the topic and there will certainly never be a clear-cut answer - because that is not how nature works. This book provides an excellent overview of the current state of knowledge about convergent evolution and the predictability of evolution. Highly recommended!
The only negative criticism I have (because there has to be some) is that this book is strongly focused on an American audience, without "translations" for others. As a non-American, I cannot help but flinch at the pervasive use of the imperial system of measurements and degrees Fahrenheit.
I also wish scientist authors and others would stop showcasing researchers by their affiliation to certain universities, and rather focus on their achievements ("Harvard researcher John Smith": his affiliation does not make John Smith a good researcher). One last thing that could change is the very colonial use of "New World" and "Old World" (or "West Indies"). Humans were there before Europeans colonised these areas, so let's just call these geographic areas what they are.
This is a lovely review about how far convergent evolution goes.
Docked for antroprocentric interpretation.
Docked for antroprocentric interpretation.
challenging
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
informative
reflective
Really interesting book and good story telling. Ironically one of the last sections about microbes was my least favorite bc I am well acquainted with them already, especially antibiotic resistance. Lizard and island evolution is so cool.
Tinha um tempo que não lia um livro de evolução tão legal quanto este. O tema central do livro é convergência evolutiva: se a evolução acontecesse novamente, será que os seres vivos seriam como conhecemos?
Losos trabalho com a evolução de lagartos Anolis na América Central e é impressionante como esses lagartos convergem evolutivamente em várias ilhas. Toda ilha tem um lagarto marrom de solo, um verde de arbustos e por aí vai. Mas quando checamos de perto, em cada ilha esse tipo de lagarto evoluiu independentemente. Vulgo, é uma das pessoas mais qualificadas para discutir convergência evolutiva.
O livro vai bem além de lagartos e discute todo tipo de ser vivo. Com exemplos bem atuais e muito bem explicados de evolução acontecendo. Bem como o que facilita ou dificulta para a evolução encontrar a mesma solução para um problema. Fez um biólogo feliz.
Losos trabalho com a evolução de lagartos Anolis na América Central e é impressionante como esses lagartos convergem evolutivamente em várias ilhas. Toda ilha tem um lagarto marrom de solo, um verde de arbustos e por aí vai. Mas quando checamos de perto, em cada ilha esse tipo de lagarto evoluiu independentemente. Vulgo, é uma das pessoas mais qualificadas para discutir convergência evolutiva.
O livro vai bem além de lagartos e discute todo tipo de ser vivo. Com exemplos bem atuais e muito bem explicados de evolução acontecendo. Bem como o que facilita ou dificulta para a evolução encontrar a mesma solução para um problema. Fez um biólogo feliz.
informative
medium-paced
funny
informative
medium-paced