‘A beautifully written exploration of perhaps the most important question in science’ Brian Cox
‘A nearly perfect guide to the wonder and complexity of existence’ Bill Bryson
‘The writing is so sp
Life is all around us, abundant and diverse, it is extraordinary.
But what does it actually mean to be alive?
Nobel prize-winner Paul Nurse has spent his career revealing how living cells work. In this book, he takes up the challenge of defining life in a way that every reader can understand. It is a shared journey of discovery; step by step he illuminates five great ideas that underpin biology. He traces the roots of his own curiosity and knowledge to reveal how science works, both now and in the past. Using his personal experiences, in and out of the lab, he shares with us the challenges, the lucky breaks, and the thrilling eureka moments of discovery.
To survive the challenges that face the human race today – from climate change, to pandemics, loss of biodiversity and food security – it is vital that we all understand what life is.
Published by : David Fickling Books
Date: 01 July 2021
ISBN: 9781788451420
Format: Paperback
Pages: 224pp
Price : £8.99
Paul Nurse is a geneticist and cell biologist who has worked on how the reproduction of cells is controlled. This process is the basis of growth and development in all living organisms. He is Director of the Francis Crick Institute in London and has served as Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, President of Rockefeller University and President of the Royal Society. He shared the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine and has received the Albert Lasker Award and the Royal Society's Royal and Copley Medals. He was knighted in 1999 and received the Legion d'honneur from France in 2003 and the Order of the Rising Sun from Japan in 2018. He served for 15 years on the Council of Science and Technology, advising the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and is presently a Chief Scientific Advisor for the European Union and a trustee of the British Museum. Paul flies gliders and vintage aeroplanes and has been a qualified bush pilot. He also likes the theatre, classical music, hill-walking, going to museums and art galleries, and running very slowly.
‘A beautifully written exploration of perhaps the most important question in science’ Brian Cox
‘A nearly perfect guide to the wonder and complexity of existence’ Bill Bryson
‘The writing is so spirited and knowledgeable – and the five sections so full of wondrous revelations – that I could not put it down. This is a book that will inspire a generation of biologists’ Siddhartha Mukherjee
‘Paul Nurse provides a concise, lucid response to an age-old question … wise, visionary and personal’ Dava Sobel
‘Clear and elegant … provides the sort of clarity and understanding that could save many thousands of lives’ Philip Pullman
‘A masterful overview of biology that draws together big ideas, luminous details and personal insights. Paul Nurse is a rare life-form – a Nobel-winning scientist and a brilliant communicator’ Alice Roberts
‘It’s spectacular to see the concepts come together as Nurse describes the chemistry of life’ Science News
A ‘New and Noteworthy’ non-fiction pick in the New York Times
A Financial Times Book of the Year 2020