This book collects essays published in journals including Commentary, The Weekly Standard, and elsewhere. It centers on three profound mysteries: the existence of the human mind; the existence and diversity of living creatures; and the existence of matter. How they did they come into being? The author, Dr. David Berlinski, is a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute and formerly a fellow at the Institut des Hautes tudes Scientifiques in France. His other books include The Devil's Delusion: Atheism and Its Scientific Pretensions, Newton's Gift, and A Tour of the Calculus.

Epigenetic modifications comprise heritable gene expression changes that occur without alteration of the DNA sequence and 'co-act' with genetic factors to shape development processes and evolutionary trajectories. Multicellular organisms receive different types of environmental stimuli/stresses that trigger epigenetic modifications during development. These environmentally driven mechanisms represent an underlying cause of phenotypic diversity, especially in metazoans. This book aims to present some of the latest epigenetic insights into the development of metazoans (including humans) as an intersection between their ecology and evolution.

This book traces the history of how evolutionary biology transformed its understanding of females from being coy, reserved and sexually passive, to having active sexual strategies and often mating with multiple males. Why did it take so long to discover female active sexual strategies? What prevented some researchers from engaging in sexually active females, and what prompted others to develop this new knowledge? The Female Turn provides a global overview of shifting perceptions about females in sexual selection research on a wide range of animals, from invertebrates to primates. Evolutionary biologist and feminist science scholar Malin Ah-King explores this history from a unique interdisciplinary vantage point. Based on extensive knowledge of the scientific literature on sexual selection and in-depth interviews with leading researchers, pioneers and feminist scientists in the field, her analysis engages with key theoretical approaches in gender studies of science. Analyzing the researchers' scientific interests, theoretical frameworks, specific study animals, technological innovations, methodologies and sometimes feminist insights, reveals how these have shaped conclusions drawn about sex. Thereby, The Female Turn shows how certain researchers gained knowledge about active females whereas others missed, ignored or delayed it - that is, how ignorance was produced.

This volume includes treatments of systematics and related topics for both fungi and fungus-like organisms in four eukaryotic supergroups, as well as specialized chapters on nomenclature, techniques and evolution. These organisms are of great interest to mycologists, plant pathologists and others, including those interested in the animal parasitic Microsporidia. Our knowledge of the systematics and evolution of fungi has made great strides since the first edition of this volume, largely driven by molecular phylogenetic analyses. Consensus among mycologists has led to a stable systematic treatment that has since become widely adopted and is incorporated into this second edition, along with a great deal of new information on evolution and ecology. The systematic chapters cover occurrence, distribution, economic importance, morphology and ultrastructure, development of taxonomic theory, classification, and maintenance and culture. Other chapters deal with nomenclatural changes necessitated by revisions of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi and plants, including the elimination of separate names for asexual states, as well as methods for preservation of cultures and specimens, character evolution and methods for ultrastructural study, the fungal fossil record, and the impact of whole genomes on fungal studies.

This highly engaging exploration of the concept of evolution lays out the history of life on earth-what we know and how we know it. Ever since Charles Darwin revealed his landmark ideas about evolution in 1859, new findings have confirmed, expanded, and refined his concepts. This ALSC Notable children's book brings together the pillars of evidence that support our understanding of evolution. In addition to stunning illustrations, more than fifty photographs capture natural marvels, including awe-inspiring fossils, life forms, and geological wonders. The result is a full and clear account of the monumental evidence supporting the modern view of evolution.

This book represents a cutting-edge contribution giving an all-around perspective of eco-immunology today. Beside questions of the utmost importance for the whole community of immunologists, e.g, the intrinsic limits of immunological experiments performed at the bench on a limited number of selected models, the book covers several other facets of the eco-immunological approach, including host-parasite interactions, human aging and population immunology. Throughout the book the importance of population dynamics and evolutionary diversification of immune systems is frequently recalled, and makes the reader aware of the basic similarities and differences existing between humans and the models adopted for studying human immune system. The evidenced differences have been recently challenging the reliability of several established animal models and in the book it is discussed for the first time in analytical terms whether mice are reliable models of human inflammatory disorders.

Behavioral Ecology of Tropical Birds, Second Edition provides the most updated and comprehensive review on the evolution of behavior in tropical landbirds. The book reviews gaps in our knowledge that were identified twenty years ago when the first edition was published, highlights recent discoveries that have filled those gaps, and identifies new areas in urgent need of study. It covers key topics, including timing of breeding, movement ecology, life history traits, slow vs. fast pace of life, mating systems, mate choice, territoriality, communication, biotic interactions, and conservation. Written by international experts on the behavior of tropical birds, the book explores why the tropics is a unique natural laboratory to study the evolution of bird behavior and why temperate zone species are so different. A recent surge of studies on tropical birds has helped to reduce the temperate zone bias that arose because most avian model species in behavioral ecology were adapted to northern temperate climates. This is an important resource for researchers, ecologists and conservationists who want to understand the rich and complex evolutionary history of avian behavior.

This book is devoted to the ichnology of insects, and associated trace fossils, in soils and paleosols. The traces described here, mostly nests and pupation chambers, include one of the most complex architectures produced by animals. Chapters explore the walls, shapes and fillings of trace fossils followed by their classifications and ichnotaxonomy. Detailed descriptions and interpretations for different groups of insects like bees, ants, termites, dung beetles and wasps are also provided. Chapters also highlight the the paleoenvironmental significance of insect trace fossils in paleosols for paleontological reconstructions, sedimentological interpretation, and ichnofabrics analysis. Readers will discover how insect trace fossils act as physical evidence for reconstructing the evolution of behavior, phylogenies, past geographical distributions, and to know how insects achieved some of the more complex architectures. The book will appeal to researchers and graduate students in ichnology, sedimentology, paleopedology, and entomology and readers interested in insect architecture.

This edited volume is provides an authoritative synthesis of knowledge about the history of life. All the major groups of organisms are treated, by the leading workers in their fields. With sections on: The Importance of Knowing the Tree of Life; The Origin and Radiation of Life on Earth; The Relationships of Green Plants; The Relationships of Fungi; and The Relationships of Animals. This book should prove indispensable for evolutionary biologists, taxonomists, ecologists interested in biodiversity, and as a baseline sourcebook for organismic biologists, botanists, and microbiologists. An essential reference in this fundamental area.

When I first proposed a series entitled Current Mammalogy to the pub lishers, they were reluctant to undertake such a project because they viewed the field of mammology as overly fragmented. At first I found this idea to be difficult to accept; however, upon reflection, I came near to agreeing with it. Although many of us work on mammals, we gen erally feel more allegiance to our specialties, such as systematics, ge netics, cytogenetics, ecology, behavior, pest control, paleontology, wildlife management, primatology, and marine mammalogy, than we do to the general field of mammalogy. However, rather than becoming discour aged from pursuing this project, I became more certain than ever that a series such as Current Mammalogy was needed. We hope to make this series a place where specialists can present their ideas not only to other members of their specialty, but to those outside the area as well. Hopefully, this exchange of ideas will be a mutually beneficial exercise. The Editorial Board of Current Mammalogy has decided to keep the range of subjects in each volume as broad as possible rather than concentrating on one or two topics, in the hope that this will keep the series as useful as possible to the broadest range of readers."

Terminology in Biological Rhythms; M.A. Ali, et al. Introduction to the Analysis of Periodic Phenomena; P. Legendre, P. Dutilleul. Biological Rhythms; M.P. Gerkema. Behavior and Rhythms in Fishes; D.L.G. Noakes. Ultradian Rhythms in Fishes; R.C. Peters, R.J. Veeneklaas. Tidally-Synchronised Behavior in Marine Fishes; R.N. Gibson. Lunar and Semi-Lunar Rhythms in Fishes; J.F. Leatherland, et al. Circadian Basis for Neuroendocrine Regulation; A.H. Meier. Sleep, Inactivity, and Circadian Rhythms in Fish; S. Reebs. Feeding-Entrained Circadian Rhythms in Fishes; R.E. Spieler. Melatonin Rhythms in the Pineal Organ of Fishes and its Effects; A. Zachmann, et al. Regulation of the Rhythmic Melatonin Secretion by Fish Pineal Photoreceptor Cells; J. Falcon, et al. The Rainbow Trout Pineal Organ; W.A. Gern, et al. 6 additional articles. Index.

'Developmental biology' is widely understood as processes, which mainly concern embryonic animal development and differentiation of cells and tissue. It is also often defined as the timeline for the evolutionary developmental biology of eukaryotic multicellular higher organisms, i.e., plants and animals. The development of prokaryotes and lower eukaryotes in contrary has been neglected for a long time, which was the motivation for publishing this book. This book highlights one of Darwin's most important findings: Evolution is a creative, but not a conscious process. It also illustrates that this concept does not only apply to multicellular higher organisms, but affects every form of life. The reader shall find complex biochemical and genetic pathways of bacteria, yeasts or protozoa, comparable to those exhibited by plants or animals. The molecular mechanisms of dramatic genome rearrangements, recombination and horizontal gene transfer that are responsible for evolutionary adaptations are discussed. Additionally, the book covers bacteria of the genera Myxobacteriales and Caulobacterales, which are able to develop tissue-like cellular organization. The morphogenesis of entomopathogenic fungi and the endosymbiont theory are also addressed. The book is a useful introduction to the field for junior scientists, interested in bacteriology, protistology and fungal development. It is also an interesting read for advanced scientists, giving them a broader view of the field beyond their area of specialization.

The present book combines three main aspects: five major mass extinctions; contributions on some other minor extinctions; and more importantly contributions on the current mass extinction. All three aspects are introduced through interesting studies of mass extinctions in diverse organisms ranging from small invertebrates to mammals and take account of the most accepted subjects discussing mass extinctions in insects, mammals, fishes, ostracods and molluscs.

This book discusses how and why animals evolved into particular shapes. The book identifies the physical laws which decide over the evolutionary (selective) value of body shape and morphological characters. Comparing the mechanical necessities with morphological details, the author attempts to understand how evolution works, and which sorts of limitations are set by selection. The book explains morphological traits in more biomechanical detail without getting lost in physics, or in methods. Most emphasis is placed on the proximate question, namely the identification of the mechanical stresses which must be sustained by the respective body parts, when they move the body or its parts against resistance. In the first part of the book the focus is on 'primitive' animals and later on the emphasis shifts to highly specialized mammals. Readers will learn more about living and fossil animals. A section of the book is dedicated to human evolution but not to produce another evolutionary tree, nor to refine a former one, but to contribute to answering the question: "WHY early humans have developed their particular body shape".

An accessible and straightforward intro to cell biology In the newly revised Fourth Edition of Cell Biology: A Short Course, a distinguished team of researchers delivers a concise and accessible introduction to modern cell biology, integrating knowledge from genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, physiology, and microscopy. The book places a strong emphasis on drawing connections between basic science and medicine. Telling the story of cells as the units of life in a colorful and student-friendly manner, Cell Biology: A Short Course takes an "essentials only" approach. It conveys critical points without overburdening the reader with extraneous or secondary information. Clear diagrams and examples from current research accompany special boxed sections that focus on the importance of cell biology in medicine and industry. A new feature, "BrainBoxes" describes some of the key people who created the current understanding of Cell Biology. The book has been thoroughly revised and updated since the last edition and includes: Thorough introduction to cells and tissues, membranes, organelles, and the structure of DNA and genetic code Explorations of DNA as a data storage medium, transcription and the control of gene expression, and recombinant DNA and genetic engineering Discussion of the manufacture of proteins, protein structure, and intracellular protein trafficking Description of ions and voltages, intracellular and extracellular signaling Introduction to the cytoskeleton and cell movement Discussion of cell division and apoptosis Perfect for undergraduate students seeking an accessible, one-stop reference on cell biology, Cell Biology: A Short Course is also an ideal reference for pre-med students.

The four volumes of Game Equilibrium Models present applications of non-cooperative game theory. Problems of strategic interaction arising in biology, economics, political science and the social sciences in general are treated in 42 papers on a wide variety of subjects. Internationally known authors with backgrounds in various disciplines have contributed original research. The reader finds innovative modelling combined with advanced methods of analysis. The four volumes are the outcome of a research year at the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies of the University of Bielefeld. The close interaction of an international interdisciplinary group of researchers has produced an unusual collection of remarkable results of great interes for everybody who wants to be informed on the scope, potential, and future direction of work in applied game theory. Volume I Evolution and Game Dynamics mainly deals with dynamic stability with respect to evolutionary processes. The book offers not only theoretical classification of the foundations of evolutionary game theory, but also exciting new biological applications. Volume II Methods, Morals and Markets contains areas of research which will attract the interest of economists, political scientists, mathematicians and philosophers. The papers deal with the methodology of analysis of games, game theoretic contributions to fundamental ethical questions facing societies and game-theoretic analyses of market environments. Volume III Strategic Bargaining contains ten papers on game equilibrium models of bargaining. All these contributions look at bargaining situations as non-cooperative games. General models of two-person and n-person bargaining areexplored. Volume IV Social and Political Interaction contains game equilibrium models focussing on social and political interaction within communities or states or between states, i.e. national and international social and political interaction. Specific aspects of those interactions are modelled as non-cooperative games and their equilibria are analysed.

This open access book deals with a rich variety of taxis-type cross-diffusive equations. Particularly, it intends to show the key role played by quasi-energy inequality in the derivation of some necessary a priori estimates. This book addresses applied mathematics and all researchers interested in mathematical development of reaction-diffusion theory and its application and can be a basis for a graduate course in applied mathematics.

This book is a continuation and deepening of Sovereign Blockchain 1.0. It mainly includes three views: 1) Blockchain is a super public product based on digital civilization. 2) The Internet is an advanced level of industrial civilization, the core of which is connection; blockchain is an important symbol of digital civilization, the essence of which is reconstruction. 3) Digital currency will trigger a comprehensive change in the economic field, and digital identity will reconstruct the governance model in the social field, thereby changing the order of civilization. This book is not only a popular science book based on blockchain thinking, theory and application research, but also a scholarly work on the technical and philosophical issues of governance and the future. By reading Sovereign Blockchain 2.0, policymakers can quickly understand the basic knowledge and frontier dynamics of science and technology; science and technology workers can grasp the general trend, seize opportunities, face problems and difficulties, aim at the world's science and technology frontier and lead the direction of science and technology development; experts and scholars in law and legal fields can see new ideas, concepts and models of data governance; social science researchers can discover data sociology and data philosophy issues.

This ambitious book considers social scientific topics such as identity, community, sexual difference, self, and ecology from a microbial perspective. Harnessing research and evidence from earth systems science and microbiology, and particularly focusing on symbiosis and symbiogenesis, the book argues for the development of a microontology of life.

Everybody Out of the Pond

At the Water's Edge will change the way you think about your place in the world. The awesome journey of life's transformation from the first microbes 4 billion years ago to Homo sapiens today is an epic that we are only now beginning to grasp. Magnificent and bizarre, it is the story of how we got here, what we left behind, and what we brought with us.

We all know about evolution, but it still seems absurd that our ancestors were fish. Darwin's idea of natural selection was the key to solving generation-to-generation evolution -- microevolution -- but it could only point us toward a complete explanation, still to come, of the engines of macroevolution, the transformation of body shapes across millions of years. Now, drawing on the latest fossil discoveries and breakthrough scientific analysis, Carl Zimmer reveals how macroevolution works. Escorting us along the trail of discovery up to the current dramatic research in paleontology, ecology, genetics, and embryology, Zimmer shows how scientists today are unveiling the secrets of life that biologists struggled with two centuries ago.

In this book, you will find a dazzling, brash literary talent and a rigorous scientific sensibility gracefully brought together. Carl Zimmer provides a comprehensive, lucid, and authoritative answer to the mystery of how nature actually made itself.