Oxygen: The molecule that made the world (Oxford Landmark Science)

This is an epic book, combining Geology, History, Chemistry, Medicine, Philosophy and other disciplines, on top of biology. You will learn about Madame Curie, as well as the story of Oedipus. Nick Lane is a masterful writer, and definitely also a polymath, spicing up 'boring' scientific data with interesting bits and pieces from every domain imaginable. It's not an exaggeration to say that the information in this book is worth several college courses, with respect to the amount of info. Sure, it's very demanding and taxing on the reader, but hey, if you find some paragraph not so interesting, just skip it and move on, like I did.. The author gives you the material, but it's a personal choice depending on your interests and education, to invest time in it or not. As in all his books, he is tackling the most difficult questions and beats every candidate theory to death... but that's what real, gutsy science is... To summarize the book in a short statement : Human bodies (and all bodies) are mere vehicles, slaves, serving the needs of Replication and continuation of the species.. which is very close to Richard Dawkins' Selfish Gene. Thanks Nick for another great book, and I hope you quit smoking :)

We've all heard the story of life on Earth, how animals breathe in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide while plants take in the carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. Life, then, is in perfect balance with each kingdom providing what the other kingdom needs. Turns out, however, it's a little more complicated than that. In "Oxygen" author and biochemist Nick Lane takes an in depth look at the role oxygen plays in the evolution of life as we know it on Earth. Just how, and when, did life adjust to this deadly element? And, what effect does it have on our everyday lives and aging pricess? While written for layman reader with some background in chemistry this is defiantly not an easy read. Lane pulls no punches when explaining chemical processes and he must often use scientific nomenclature to identify the various enzymes and the inner workings of a cell. The origin of life is not addressed in this book but he does examen current theories on how life evolved from that "Last Common Universal Ancestor" to become the plants, animals and other organisms that we're all familiar with. Life did not create oxygen, it only found a way to free oxygen from its chemical bonds and make use of its benefits while avoiding its dangers. Just how, and when, did LUCA become the complex life forms that populate our world; bacteria, viruses and multi celled organisms. Using the work and theories of other specialists as well as his own extensive background in biology and chemistry, Lane explains how two kinds of bacteria may have joined forces to become the eukaryote life forms that seem to dominate the world. After that the next challenge that life faced was oxygen itself and how life used it while avoiding its dangers. A good portion of the book is devoted to how oxygen is used by most organisms, including humans, and how it influences growth, reproduction, aging and, finally, death. As in his previous books, Lane's writing is clear, concise and ever interesting while explaining this complex subject. I had to struggle through some portions of this book but, in the end, it was worth the effort. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a challenging read on the inner workings of life and the environment. I had no downloading or technical problems with this Kindle edition. Last Ranger

This was a long, difficult read, but it had really great stuff in it, especially the first half. The author gives a great history and explanation of evolution, and a lot of great chemistry lessons as well. It is amazing how much of our world is affected by the properties of oxygen. I did find it very difficult to understand the concepts at times, and my mind would wander while reading it. I felt that I would need to read the book a second time to really understand everything, but I don't think I can face it. The second half of the book was a little more boring for me. It mostly deals with aging, which I find to be a depressing topic, and it was a shift away from all the cool things oxygen can do that filled the first half. Overall, I'm glad I read it. I learned a lot, but I'm not going to read another chemistry book for a long time.

Very interesting read on the development of Life on Earth.

This is a great overview of so many topics that are all under the umbrella of oxygen. While there is information that the general public will find interesting, I find that the way it is written is probably more appropriate for someone with a scientific background as there are some highly technical areas. The information about Vitamin C and anti-oxidants was extremely insightful because this book provides a clearer picture of everything that could be happening in our bodies in order to allow us to be healthy. Good read and I will use some of this information for my AP Biology class, as there are some very interesting and insightful examples that are noteworthy. This is the first book that I have read by Nick Lane, but it won't be my last!!

Very good read. This book has definitely changed my views regarding palpable and non-palpable surroundings we see every day. Author did a great job covering everything from the inception of our universe (or at least tried to make sense about current big-bang theory) and to the point where microorganisms started to emerge as a result of long-term favorable factors. The book was complicated to read at times, but i'd usually just skim through those parts. This is something they don't teach you in high school, so i didn't except an easy stroll. I'm half-way thru the book and already loving the way I look at our existence and our world, which is completely different from what it was for me before. And it changed for the better--many questions found an answer as well as some myths destroyed. I recommend this book to anybody who loves science and curious about life in general.

Really a very in depth presentation that touches on a wide array of subject areas of science. Without question the author has a tramendous indepth knowledge and brings so many details in the fields of chemistry, historical geology, cellular biology, physical sciences, and many related subject areas togeather. The book is very well written and is for a person who wants to expand one's knowledge as to how many varied science areas touch with one another. This book will really get one thinking about the big picture and brings togeather many advancements in the field of sciences in a very skillfull way. This book will get you thinking.

Scientists for the most part stick to peer reviewed, confirmed and generally accepted theory in a book for the general audience. Sadly this most often leads to didactic prose that conveys little of the excitement of scientific endeavor. To dramatize the scope of the conclusion after it is reached, Neal DeGrasse Tyson style, is not the same. Nick Lane draws findings from disparate fields, combines them in very complex decision trees, and shows how they suggest ideas about the origin and nature of life that are compelling if not generally accepted. He is given some latitude by the fact that nothing in evolutionary biochemistry is generally accepted. The intellectual leaps are at that level where real science is done. Exciting and accessible to non-specialists though not necessarily easy. Reading these books is a pleasure akin to watching a world class athlete. The result of reading these books is a very different and greatly expanded understanding of the living world.