Review by Choice Review
Knoll's journey through time starts with rock as old as 3.5 billion years, as he searches for evidence of fossilized microorganisms. Controversy still surrounds the legitimacy of some of the evidence for fossilized microorganisms, as Knoll (Harvard Univ.) acknowledges, but he presents a compelling case for the use of available evidence as he works to integrate geology and biology in the study of the development of life on Earth. The evidence he discusses ranges from the fossils, the presence of stromatolites, and chemical signals imparted by microbial metabolisms. He discusses such subjects as chemical evolution, evolution of the living cell, and interpretations of the Cambrian Explosion, with much of the research discussed being his personal fieldwork. His words have a poetic flavor and his deep interest in the study of life on Earth flows out of them, carrying readers along while maintaining a rigorous discourse. Knoll's book will appeal to anyone interested in the evolution of life on Earth, but some background in biology and chemistry would be helpful to readers. Excellent color plates, figures, and maps; one small error in the dolomite formula on page 36. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. All levels. P. R. Douville emeritus, Central Connecticut State University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Knoll, a paleontologist at Harvard, has spent most of his life examining and making sense of microscopic Precambrian fossils from around the world. In a book so well written that nonspecialists and specialists alike will find much to savor, he captures both the excitement of scientific discovery and the intricacies of scientific interpretation. He addresses two of the biggest questions of biology and paleontology-how did life begin and why was there an explosion of life forms at the start of the Cambrian Era. His evenhanded explanations draw heavily from the work he, his graduate students and his collaborators from around the world have performed. Unlike other recent offerings (e.g., Snowball Earth by Gabrielle Walker and In the Blink of an Eye by Andrew Parker), Knoll is not uncomfortable with taking a middle ground, claiming that conclusive answers are not yet within our grasp. He constructs a case for the importance of "permissive ecology," a situation in which "life and environment evolved together, each influencing the other in building the biosphere we inhabit today." Recognizing that his view is neither as flashy nor as controversial as others, he says, "The absence of a definitive punch line may disappoint some readers, but as a paleontologist, it is why I get up in the morning. For scientists, unanswered questions are like Everest unclimbed, an irresistible lure for restless minds." Readers interested in substance will certainly not be disappointed. 33 color illus., 25 b&w photos, 47 line illus. (May) FYI: Knoll has been chosen by CNN and Time magazine as "America's Best" paleontologist. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
