The Genetic Book of the Dead by Richard Dawkins review – the great biologist’s swansong
A wonderful but thoroughly conventional celebration of the science of evolution
All things must pass, but some leave legacies. That is the story of life on Earth. Fossilised remains of organisms represent just one of the various treasure troves of information about how life used to be, one set of clues to why it is the way it is today. In the early 20th century, genes entered the storehouse of evidence for evolution, first as theoretical particles, later as the unit of selection, and today with molecular precision. Some 165 years after Darwin’s Origin of Species, evolution by natural selection is incontrovertible, the proof of it irrefutable and bounteous.
Richard Dawkins has done the lord’s work in sharing this radical idea for more than a third of that time, partly through research, but with wider impact in his general writing. This book, one of nearly a dozen he has written about evolution, looks set to be his last (he has called a tour to support it The Final Bow).
Continue reading...Topics
-
Book Review: Richard Chizmar tells a creepy occult tale in ‘Memorials'
Entertainment - ABC News - October 21 -
Book Review: Richard Price returns with another portrait of urban America, ‘Lazarus Man'
Entertainment - ABC News - 3 days ago -
Review: The Wooster Group versus Richard Foreman at REDCAT
Entertainment - Los Angeles Times - October 21 -
Book Review: ‘Patriot,’ by Alexei Navalny
Top stories - The New York Times - October 21 -
Richard V. Secord, Middleman in Iran-Contra Scandal, Is Dead at 92
Top stories - The New York Times - October 16 -
Phil Lesh, Grateful Dead bassist, dies at 84
Top stories - CBS News - October 25 -
Cuzen Electric Matcha Maker Review: Great Tea but a Lazy Design
Tech - Wired - October 30 -
Hyte Y60 Review: A Clear PC Case for Great Builders
Tech - Wired - 6 days ago -
TCL QM7 TV Review: Great Picture, Suspect Software
Tech - Wired - 5 days ago
More from The Guardian
-
Trump health secretary choice is ‘courting catastrophe’, says rights group – as it happened
World - The Guardian - 7 hours ago -
RFK Jr condemned as ‘clear and present danger’ after Trump nomination
World - The Guardian - 10 hours ago -
Middle East crisis live: families of Israeli hostages call on Trump and Biden to secure their release
World - The Guardian - 13 hours ago -
Republicans secure House majority in yet another blow to Democrats
World - The Guardian - Yesterday -
Trump’s choice of Matt Gaetz as attorney general sparks criticism and shock – US politics live
World - The Guardian - Yesterday
Latest in World
-
A Croatian corruption investigation snares a top official and several others
World - ABC News - 13 minutes ago -
Iran Told U.S. It Wasn't Trying to Kill Trump
World - The Wall Street Journal - 37 minutes ago -
Sri Lanka's new Marxist-leaning president wins over a two-thirds majority in parliamentary election
World - ABC News - 46 minutes ago -
At least 10 killed in nursing home fire in Spain
World - ABC News - 54 minutes ago -
Reeves must go bigger and bolder on local pensions reform
World - Financial Times - 1 hour ago