Life: The Leading Edge of Evolutionary Biology, Genetics, Anthropology, and Environmental Science
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About this ebook
The newest addition to John Brockman’s Edge.org series explores life itself, bringing together the world’s leading biologists, geneticists, and evolutionary theorists—including Richard Dawkins, Edward O. Wilson, J. Craig Venter, and Freeman Dyson.
Scientists’ understanding of life is progressing more rapidly than at any point in human history, from the extraordinary decoding of DNA to the controversial emergence of biotechnology. Featuring pioneering biologists, geneticists, physicists, and science writers, Life explains just how far we’ve come—and takes a brilliantly educated guess at where we’re heading.
Richard Dawkins and J. Craig Venter compare genes to digital information, and sketch the frontiers of genomic research.
Edward O. Wilson reveals what ants can teach us about building a superorganism—and, in turn, about how cells build an organism. Elsewhere, David Haig reports new findings on how mothers and fathers individually influence the human genome, while Kary Mullis covers cutting edge treatments for dangerous viruses. And there’s much more in this fascinating volume.
We may never have all the answers. But the thinkers collected in Life are asking questions that will keep us dreaming for generations.
John Brockman
The publisher of the online science salon Edge.org, John Brockman is the editor of Know This, This Idea Must Die, This Explains Everything, This Will Make You Smarter, and other volumes.
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Reviews for Life
127 ratings9 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I recieved this Bible as a confirmation gift, and I really like it. The Gospel harmony is a great feature.
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5When was it ever observed, where a mindless nothing created life? And then, where and when was it ever observed, where a molecule evolved into a human being, or any kind of life? You might say... God was never observed creating anything... so lets just admit that both our beliefs are not scientific... and leave evolution out of the science class.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5My first study bible - I love the look and feel of this Bible. I love all the information at the bottom of each page plus the personal information on key characters. At the beginning of of each book is a page describing about when it was written, who for, and by who, also telling what is included in that book. This can also be bought in other versions.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5NIV Life Application Study Bible (Anglicised) – A Beautiful BibleThe NIV Life Application Study Bible is one of the most beautiful, easy to use Bibles that is perfect for personal study or if it were to be used in group resource. The NIV Life Application as well as being in my opinion the best study Bible available, and for me one of the easiest to read as we are not forced to read passages squeezed in to columns on a page. For those that tend to complain about the use of American English this has been Anglicised, so no z where it should be s!As someone who studied Theology and used to using a Bible but still gets brain freeze sometimes I find that this study Bible is a welcome help. As there are a number of study features that are included throughout the Bible, which helps to make the Scriptures more available for all rather keeping many of the books a mystery except for scholars.Why a Life Application Bible? If you are attempting to read the Bible by yourself and have no access to a Priest or Pastor to advise you on how to take the Word and apply it your life there are close to 10,000 study tools to help and advice. The great thing about this Bible it has been worked on by scholars of various denominations so there is ‘political’ slant that way. This is a Bible where the Scriptures are easy to read, explained in plain English and how to apply them to your life. There is so much to praise here with the excellent introductions to each book, with advice notes on them. There are some wonderful charts and maps, excellent cross-referencing, plus an extensive index. The integrity of this translation is intact as the NIV is regarded as the best combination of accuracy and more importantly readability.If you are an old hand at reading the Bible, or coming to the Bible for the first time to read, study and learn I cannot recommend NIV Life Application Study Bible (Anglicised) highly enough. I have the hard back copy and find it excellent, but there are leather and other cover options available. Buy this Bible and you will have access to the Scriptures in a modern way without the scholars waffle!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The best book of all time; read once; twice; thrice; etc. etc etc; currently on my 3rd time and am still amazed by how i find not only new insights but actually new stories that i don't remember from the 1st 2 times
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Excellent Book
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This review applies to the annotations and additional material as opposed to the content itself--I'm not going to try to review the Bible.The annotations are strongest where they explain the historical context and modes of life of the people in the Bible, giving the reader a historical and cultural backdrop in which to place the text. The "life application" sections are hit and miss, but generally well intentioned. The maps and charts are an excellent resource in directing the reader to further study.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is one of Zondervan's series of "Life Application" bibles. Searching for just the right balance of Scripture text and interpretive material I came upon the genre "study bibles." I sought one that incorporated scholarship based on the best currently known sources, up-to-date Biblical archaeology discoveries, had in-text maps, photographs (of archaeological sites, not autographed pictures of Solomon!) and commentary. I avoided those that pile all that stuff at the end of the book. I've been told that the NIV (New International Version) is a strange choice for a religious liberal. But I replied that I wanted a translation with modern language, but little subjectivity in expression -- I wanted as little figurative style as possible to maximize closeness to the original text. So maybe the Evangelicals and I do have something in common, after all. The character profiles of Biblical personalities and other study features are great. In fact I compared all of Zondervan's versions and found that they contain identical editorial matter and differ only in the translation used, all the way from the King James version (most literal) through the New Living Translation (more idiomatic, figurative language). I wish they had produced one of the versions used by Catholics, which all include the Apocryphal books, and in fact suggested it to Zondervan (never heard back). That being unavailable I chose study features as more important than inclusiveness.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The maps, the people profiles, the historical background, charts, and even archeological data all create a wonderful backdrop for greater learning.