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Cradle of Life : The Discovery of Earth's Earliest Fossils by J. William Schopf (2001, Trade Paperback)

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Cradle of Life : The Discovery of Earth's Earliest Fossils, Paperback by Schopf, J. William, ISBN 0691088640, ISBN-13 9780691088648, Brand New, Free shipping in the US The author describes his discovery of the oldest known fossilized life forms and includes information on the history of paleobiology.

About this product

Product Identifiers

PublisherPrinceton University Press

ISBN-100691088640

ISBN-139780691088648

eBay Product ID (ePID)1875170

Product Key Features

Number of Pages384 Pages

Publication NameCradle of Life : the Discovery of Earth's Earliest Fossils

LanguageEnglish

Publication Year2001

SubjectEarth Sciences / General, Paleontology

TypeTextbook

Subject AreaScience

AuthorJ. William Schopf

FormatTrade Paperback

Dimensions

Item Height1 in

Item Weight22 Oz

Item Length9.4 in

Item Width6.2 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceCollege Audience

Reviews"Schopf combines his often entertaining personal story with an introduction to the discipline of paleobiology, with asides on the chemical makeup of life. . . . A good introduction to the history of a science on the cutting edge."-- Kirkus Reviews, "An exceptional description of the field that is accessible to any educated lay reader." -- Library Journal (starred review), "What were your very earliest ancestors like? I do not mean your great-great-great-grandparents. I mean the earliest life on the planet. In principle we all have a unique lineage of ancestors that runs all the way back to the origin of life. What was life like then--and is the supposed life on Mars our cousin? These are the problems palaeontologist Bill Schopf faces. . . . It has been a while since I read a book with so much good sense, put over in so amicable a style. If I ever were to discover my great-great-great grandparents I hope they turn out to be as wise as Schopf." --Laurence Hurst, New Scientist, "A book that bears out [Schopf's] assertion that science is enormously good fun!" -- Scientific American, In the well-written Cradle of Life , Schopf tells his own story of how Earth's early microbial biosphere was discovered., "An extraordinary account of a monumentally complex subject presented in simple and understandable terms, and in an eminently readable style."-- Steve Voynick, Rock and Gem, In the well-written Cradle of Life , Schopf tells his own story of how Earth's early microbial biosphere was discovered. -- Stefan Bengtson, Nature, "Schopf's subject, the origin of life, is fascinating, and as significant as any question that has ever been asked in academia. His explanation of the science behind his conclusions is clear, his approach is well organized. . . . This is a marvelous, magnificent, scientific adventure."-- John R. Alden, Cleveland Plain Dealer, "Schopf's subject, the origin of life, is fascinating, and as significant as any question that has ever been asked in academia. His explanation of the science behind his conclusions is clear, his approach is well organized. . . . This is a marvelous, magnificent, scientific adventure." --John R. Alden, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Schopf's subject, the origin of life, is fascinating, and as significant as any question that has ever been asked in academia. His explanation of the science behind his conclusions is clear, his approach is well organized. . . . This is a marvelous, magnificent, scientific adventure., "In the well-written Cradle of Life , Schopf tells his own story of how Earth's early microbial biosphere was discovered."-- Stefan Bengtson, Nature, What were your very earliest ancestors like? I do not mean your great-great-great-grandparents. I mean the earliest life on the planet. In principle we all have a unique lineage of ancestors that runs all the way back to the origin of life. What was life like then--and is the supposed life on Mars our cousin? These are the problems palaeontologist Bill Schopf faces. . . . It has been a while since I read a book with so much good sense, put over in so amicable a style. If I ever were to discover my great-great-great grandparents I hope they turn out to be as wise as Schopf. -- Laurence Hurst, New Scientist, "A book that bears out [Schopf's] assertion that science is enormously good fun!"-- Scientific American, "What were your very earliest ancestors like? I do not mean your great-great-great-grandparents. I mean the earliest life on the planet. In principle we all have a unique lineage of ancestors that runs all the way back to the origin of life. What was life like then--and is the supposed life on Mars our cousin? These are the problems palaeontologist Bill Schopf faces. . . . It has been a while since I read a book with so much good sense, put over in so amicable a style. If I ever were to discover my great-great-great grandparents I hope they turn out to be as wise as Schopf."-- Laurence Hurst, New Scientist, "A good introduction to a quickly evolving topic. . . . Schopf also offers a number of insider nuggets." -- Choice, An extraordinary account of a monumentally complex subject presented in simple and understandable terms, and in an eminently readable style., " Cradle of Life provides the best current popular overview of the first 85% of life's history on Earth, and that is history worth reading."-- Robert M. Hazen, Physics Today, "A good introduction to a quickly evolving topic. . . . Schopf also offers a number of insider nuggets."-- Choice, Schopf combines his often entertaining personal story with an introduction to the discipline of paleobiology, with asides on the chemical makeup of life. . . . A good introduction to the history of a science on the cutting edge. -- Kirkus Reviews, Schopf's subject, the origin of life, is fascinating, and as significant as any question that has ever been asked in academia. His explanation of the science behind his conclusions is clear, his approach is well organized. . . . This is a marvelous, magnificent, scientific adventure. -- John R. Alden, Cleveland Plain Dealer, An exceptional description of the field that is accessible to any educated lay reader. -- Library Journal, A good introduction to a quickly evolving topic. . . . Schopf also offers a number of insider nuggets., A good introduction to a quickly evolving topic. . . . Schopf also offers a number of insider nuggets. -- Choice, Cradle of Lifeprovides the best current popular overview of the first 85% of life's history on Earth, and that is history worth reading. -- Robert M. Hazen, Physics Today, "A very clear introduction to the first living things. . . . Schopf . . . adopts an unusually informal first-person style for this rangy exploration of how Pre-cambrian fossils came to light and what they've taught us." -- Publishers Weekly, Cradle of Lifeprovides the best current popular overview of the first 85% of life's history on Earth, and that is history worth reading., "An extraordinary account of a monumentally complex subject presented in simple and understandable terms, and in an eminently readable style." --Steve Voynick, Rock and Gem, Schopf combines his often entertaining personal story with an introduction to the discipline of paleobiology, with asides on the chemical makeup of life. . . . A good introduction to the history of a science on the cutting edge., Cradle of Life provides the best current popular overview of the first 85% of life's history on Earth, and that is history worth reading., "In the well-written Cradle of Life , Schopf tells his own story of how Earth's early microbial biosphere was discovered." --Stefan Bengtson, Nature, Cradle of Life provides the best current popular overview of the first 85% of life's history on Earth, and that is history worth reading. -- Robert M. Hazen, Physics Today, "An exceptional description of the field that is accessible to any educated lay reader."-- Library Journal (starred review), A very clear introduction to the first living things. . . . Schopf . . . adopts an unusually informal first-person style for this rangy exploration of how Pre-cambrian fossils came to light and what they've taught us. -- Publishers Weekly, A very clear introduction to the first living things. . . . Schopf . . . adopts an unusually informal first-person style for this rangy exploration of how Pre-cambrian fossils came to light and what they've taught us., "Schopf combines his often entertaining personal story with an introduction to the discipline of paleobiology, with asides on the chemical makeup of life. . . . A good introduction to the history of a science on the cutting edge." -- Kirkus Reviews, "A very clear introduction to the first living things. . . . Schopf . . . adopts an unusually informal first-person style for this rangy exploration of how Pre-cambrian fossils came to light and what they've taught us."-- Publishers Weekly, What were your very earliest ancestors like? I do not mean your great-great-great-grandparents. I mean the earliest life on the planet. In principle we all have a unique lineage of ancestors that runs all the way back to the origin of life. What was life like then--and is the supposed life on Mars our cousin? These are the problems palaeontologist Bill Schopf faces. . . . It has been a while since I read a book with so much good sense, put over in so amicable a style. If I ever were to discover my great-great-great grandparents I hope they turn out to be as wise as Schopf., " Cradle of Life provides the best current popular overview of the first 85% of life's history on Earth, and that is history worth reading." --Robert M. Hazen, Physics Today, In the well-writtenCradle of Life, Schopf tells his own story of how Earth's early microbial biosphere was discovered. -- Stefan Bengtson, Nature, An extraordinary account of a monumentally complex subject presented in simple and understandable terms, and in an eminently readable style. -- Steve Voynick, Rock and Gem, A book that bears out [Schopf's] assertion that science is enormously good fun! -- Scientific American, In the well-writtenCradle of Life, Schopf tells his own story of how Earth's early microbial biosphere was discovered.

Dewey Edition21

IllustratedYes

Dewey Decimal576.8/3

Table Of ContentPrologue xi Acknowledgments xvChapter 1. Darwin's Dilemma 3 Breakthrough to the Ancient Past 3 The Nature of Geologic Time 4 The "Schoolbook" History of Life 10 Darwin's Dilemma 13 Denouement 34Chapter 2. Birth of a New Field of Science 35 The Floodgates Crack Open 35 Famous Figures Enter the Field 48 A Youngster Joins the Fray 52 The Floodgates Open Full Bore 61Chapter 3. The Oldest Fossils and What They Mean 71 "Trust but Verify" 71 "Real World Problems" in the Search for Early Life 71 Questions and Answers about the Oldest Records of Life 75 The Oldest Fossils Known 99Chapter 4. How Did Life Begin? 101 The Basics of Biology 101 The Universals of Life 107 How Did Monomers of CHON Arise on the Lifeless Earth? 108 Organic Monomers beyond the Earth 131 How Did Monomers Become Linked into Polymers? 134 From Monomers to Polymers toward Life 138Chapter 5. Metabolic Memories of the Earliest Cells 139 How Did Cells Begin? 139 The Essentials of Life 143 Life's Earliest Way to Make a Living 150 Air and Light: A New Source of Glucose 155 Why Do We Breathe Oxygen? 158 The Four-Stage Development of Modern Metabolism 161Chapter 6. So Far, So Fast, So Early? 164 How Old Is the Modern Ecosystem? 164 When Did Life Begin? 166 How Did Evolution Proceed So Far, So Fast, So Early? 168 Paleobiology: Fossils, Geology, and Geochemistry 169 Isotopic Evidence of Ancient Metabolisms 173 Paleobiology: Direct Evidence of Early Evolution 181Chapter 7. Stromatolites: Earth's First High-Rise Condos 183 Nature Is Not Compartmentalized 183 Stromatolites: Earth's First High-Rise Condos 184 Stromatolites of the Geologic Past 195 What Are Stromatolites Good For? 201Chapter 8. Cyanobacteria: Earth's Oldest "Living Fossils" 209 Modes and Tempos in the Evolution of Life 209 The Status Quo Evolution of Cyanobacteria 215 Evolution's Most Successful Ecologic Generalists 231Chapter 9. Cells Like Ours Arise at Last 236 Life Like Us Has Cells Like Ours 236 DNA and Development: Keys to Eukaryotic Success 237 How Old Are the Eukaryotes? 240 Eukaryotes Perfect the Art of Cloning 243 Sex: A New Lifestyle Brings Major Change 246 The Wax and Wane of Precambrian Acritarchs 252 Prelude to the Phanerozoic 259Chapter 10. Solution to Darwin's Dilemma 264 The Adventure of Science 264 Take-Home Lessons 269 Solution to Darwin's Dilemma 269 EPILOGUE EXTRAORDINARY CLAIMS! EXTRAORDINARY EVIDENCE? 279Chapter 11. Fossils, Foibles, and Frauds 281 The Goal Is to "Get It Right" 281 "Man, a Witness of the Deluge" 282 Beringer's Lying Stones 291 Theories on the Nature of Fossils 299 Unearthing a Rosetta Stone 303Chapter 12. The Hunt for Life on Mars 304 Hints of Ancient Martian Life? 304 NASA Stages a Press Conference 306 Meteorites from Mars 310 Search for the Smoking Gun 313 Lessons from the Hunt 324Glossary 327 Further Reading 349 Index of Geologic Units and Genera and Species 357 Subject Index 361

SynopsisOne of the greatest mysteries in reconstructing the history of life on Earth has been the apparent absence of fossils dating back more than 550 million years. We have long known that fossils of sophisticated marine life-forms existed at the dawn of the Cambrian Period, but until recently scientists had found no traces of Precambrian fossils. The quest to find such traces began in earnest in the mid-1960s and culminated in one dramatic moment in 1993 when William Schopf identified fossilized microorganisms three and a half billion years old. This startling find opened up a vast period of time--some eighty-five percent of Earth's history--to new research and new ideas about life's beginnings. In this book, William Schopf, a pioneer of modern paleobiology, tells for the first time the exciting and fascinating story of the origins and earliest evolution of life and how that story has been unearthed. Gracefully blending his personal story of discovery with the basics needed to understand the astonishing science he describes, Schopf has produced an introduction to paleobiology for the interested reader as well as a primer for beginning students in the field. He considers such questions as how did primitive bacteria, pond scum, evolve into the complex life-forms found at the beginning of the Cambrian Period? How do scientists identify ancient microbes and what do these tiny creatures tell us about the environment of the early Earth? (And, in a related chapter, Schopf discusses his role in the controversy that swirls around recent claims of fossils in the famed meteorite from Mars.) Like all great teachers, Schopf teaches the non-specialist enough about his subject along the way that we can easily follow his descriptions of the geology, biology, and chemistry behind these discoveries. Anyone interested in the intriguing questions of the origins of life on Earth and how those origins have been discovered will find this story the best place to start.

LC Classification NumberQH325