"'This is a science book that doesn't cheat: the structure is logical, the writing is witty, and the hard questions are tackled head on' Tim Radford, Guardian 'Original and awe-inspiring... an exhilarating tour of some of the most profound and important ideas in biology' Michael Le Page, New Scientist 'Excellent and imaginative and, similar to life itself, full of surprises... a fascinating book for anyone interested in life and evolution, and how these discoveries were made' Nature 'If Charles Darwin sprang from his grave, I would give him this fine book to bring him up to speed. It's a breathless bulletin from the accelerating rush of news about the secrets of life on planet earth.' Matt Ridley"

Nick Lane studied biochemistry at Imperial College, London and is an honorary reader at University College, London. His first book, Oxygen, was one of the Sunday Times Books of the Year in 2002. His last book, Power, Sex, Suicide was named as a book of the year in The Economist in 2005 and was short-listed for The Aventis Science Book Prize and the Times Higher Young Academic of the Year Award in 2006.