Life Ascending

In this book, Nick Lane expertly reconstructs the history of life by describing the ten greatest inventions of evolution, including DNA, photosynthesis, the complex cell, sex, movement, sight, hot blood, consciousness, and death.

Drawing on new scientific knowledge, Lane explains how these inventions transformed life and often the planet itself.

The book covers topics from the origin of life in deep-ocean vents to the emergence of consciousness, providing a detailed and engaging narrative of life’s multi-billion-year journey.