What is Life? The Next Fifty Years: Speculations on the Future of Biology

Murphy, Michael P. & Luke A. J. O'Neill

ISBN 10: 052145509X / ISBN 13: 9780521455091

Published by Cambridge University Press [1995], Cambridge, UK, 1995

About this Item

New book lacking DJ. No remainder mark. ; 0.64 x 9.32 x 6.26 Inches; 204 pages.

Seller Inventory # 11228

Bibliographic Details

• Title: What is Life? The Next Fifty Years: Speculations on the Future of Biology
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press [1995], Cambridge, UK
• Publication Date: 1995
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 052145509X
• ISBN 13: 9780521455091
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: First Edition; First Printing.
• Condition: New
• Dust Jacket Condition: No Dust Jacket
• Seller catalogs:
  • History of Science
  • biology
  • Science & Technology

About this title

Synopsis

Erwin Schrödinger's book What is Life?, which was originally delivered as a set of lectures at Trinity College, Dublin, is perhaps one of the most important scientific books of the twentieth century. It marked the beginning of molecular biology, and stimulated scientists such as Watson and Crick to explore and discover the structure of DNA. The novelty and appeal of What is Life? is that Schrödinger addressed the central problems of biology--heredity and how organisms use energy to maintain order--from a physicist's perspective. Fifty years later, at Trinity College, a number of outstanding scientists from a range of disciplines gathered to celebrate the anniversary of Schrödinger's lectures. In this book, they present their views on the current main problems in biology. The contributors are eminent scientists (including two Nobel Laureates) and well-known writers of popular science, including Jared Diamond, Christien de Duve, Manfred Eigen, Stephen Jay Gould, Stuart Kauffman, John Maynard Smith, Roger Penrose, and Lewis Wolpert. They tackle questions on our current understanding of the origin of life, evolution, the origin of human inventiveness, developmental biology, and the basis for consciousness. The book ends with a touching biography by Schrödinger's daughter, Ruth Braunizer. This book will set the stage for biological research into the next century and is essential reading for anyone interested in biology and its future.

Reviews

In celebration of physicist Erwin Schrodinger's classic book What Is Life? (1945), which consolidated ideas from physics, biology, and chemistry and served as an early inspiration to the development of molecular biology, a diverse group of well-known scientists?physiologists, evolutionary biologists, physicists, neuroscientists, ecologists, and mathematicians?expound further on Schrodinger's question and make predictions about the future of biology. Although all the essays address a piece of Schrodinger's work, there is little coherence in the collection, and the future of biology is predicted weakly, if at all. The biology here is "human biology," with some discussion of future breakthroughs in the study of the brain: mind, behavior, and language. Lewis Wolpert's fascinating essay on the interface of development and genetics addresses the book's theme most specifically. Because many of the essays are difficult to follow and interpret, this book is not for general or even informed readers unless they are well versed in physics, molecular biology, neuroscience, and mathematics. Recommended for large academic collections only.?Constance Rinaldo, Dartmouth Coll. Biomedical Libs., Hanover, N.H.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.