The vital question

In 'The Vital Question', Nick Lane addresses the mysteries of why complex life evolved only once in four billion years and why it shares peculiar traits such as sex and aging.

Lane argues that the answer lies in energy, specifically the voltage with the strength of a lightning bolt that all life on Earth relies on.

He builds on evolutionary theory and cutting-edge research in cell biology to provide a compelling account of evolution from the origins of life to the emergence of multicellular organisms, offering deep insights into our own lives and deaths.