Cells to Civilizations is the first unified account
of how life transforms itself—from the production of bacteria
to the emergence of complex civilizations.
What are the connections between evolving microbes,
an egg that develops into an infant,
and a child who learns to walk and talk?
Award-winning scientist Enrico Cocn synthesizes the growth
of living systems and creative processes,
and he reveals that the four great life transformations—evolution,
development, learning, and human culture—while
typically understood separately, actually all revolve
around shared core principles and manifest the same fundamental recipe.
Coen blends provocative discussion, the latest scicntific research,
and colorful examples to demonstrate the links between these critical stages
in the history of life.
Coen tells a story rich with genes, embryos, neurons,
and fascinating discoveries.
He examines the development of the zebra,
the adaptations of seaweed, the cave paintings of Lascaux,
and the formulations of Alan Turing.
He explores how dogs make predictions,
how weeds tell the time of day,
and how our brains distinguish a Modigliani from a Rembrandt.
Locating commonalities in important findings,
Coen gives readers a deeper understanding of key transformations
and provides a bold portrait for how science
both frames and is framed by human culture.
