Mitochondria are tiny structures within all our cells, believed to have once evolved from bacteria living independent lives. Drawing on cutting edge research, this book explores the fundamental role they play in some of the biggest themes in biology: evolution, the origin of the sexes, in growth, a[...]

Mitochondria are tiny structures located inside our cells that carry out the essential task of producing energy for the cell. They are found in all complex living things, and in that sense, they are fundamental for driving complex life on the planet. But there is much more to them than that. Mitocho[...]

Why is life the way it is? For two billion years, bacteria continually evolved without ever changing their basic form. Then single-celled organisms made the jump into complex life. In The Vital Question, award-winning author and biochemist Nick Lane argues that the evolution of multicellular life th[...]

Describes the ten greatest inventions of life, including DNA, sex, sight and consciousness, based on their historical impact, role in living organisms and relevance to controversies. This book explains how these findings have come about, and the extent to which they can be relied upon.[...]