The Science of Life

Over 3.5 billion years ago, a complex chemical appeared in the warm oceans of a young Earth. The chemical had a startling quality: it could reproduce itself. Over vast periods of time this ancient chemical gave rise to more than five million widely varied forms of life. This book tells the story of how life arose and evolved. It describes the discoveries of scientists who have tried to understand the very origins of life and crack the code that governs all living things.