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Full Description
Challenge outdated views of evolution and embrace a clearer understanding of life's incredible diversity with this enlightening exploration of evolutionary trees. Far from being a linear ladder of progress, evolution is a vast, branching tree where all species-humans included-are evolutionary cousins, not ancestors or descendants. Every organism alive today shares the same 3.5 billion years of evolutionary history, uniquely adapted to its own environment. This book takes readers on a journey through the tree of life, beginning with humanity's closest relatives and expanding outward to the most distantly related organisms. By unravelling the misconceptions perpetuated by news articles and traditional depictions of evolution, it offers a fresh perspective on life's interconnectedness. With engaging insights and vivid illustrations, this book fosters a deeper appreciation for the remarkable complexity and diversity of life on Earth, making it an essential read for anyone curious about our evolutionary story.
Contents
Foreword Kostas Kampourakis; Preface; Acknowledgements; 1. Introduction to the tree of life - Drawing trees and why there is no trunk; 2. Human origins - We are African...mostly; 3. Primates - Our closest living cousins; 4. Which mammals are the most primitive - None of us; 5. Birds are reptiles, Birds are theropod dinosaurs; 6. The Crawl onto land - Tetrapod evolution and the gain and loss of limbs; 7. Which fishes are 'primitive'? Do fish even exist?; 8. Animal evolution - Sponges and comb jellies are our cousins; 9. Plants, animals, fungi and 'protists' - We are eukaryotes; 10. Archaea then bacteria are our most distant cousins; Concluding remarks; Summary of common misunderstandings; References and further reading; Figure credits; Index.
