Life's edge : the search for what it means to be alive

Zimmer, Carl 1966- (author.).

Summary: "We all assume we know what life is, but the more scientists learn about the living world-from protocells to brains, from zygotes to pandemic viruses-the harder they find it is to locate life's edge"--

Record details

ISBN: 9780593182710
ISBN: 0593182715
ISBN: 9780593182727
Physical Description: print
xx, 348 pages ; 24 cm
Publisher: [New York, New York] : Dutton, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, [2021]

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 307-334) and index.

Formatted Contents Note:

Introduction: The borderland -- The quickening. The way the spirit comes to the bones ; Death is resisted -- The hallmarks. Dinner ; Decisive matter ; Preserving constant the conditions of life ; Copy/Paste ; Darwin's lung -- A series of dark questions. This astonishing multiplication ; Irritations ; The sect ; This mud was actually alive ; A play of water ; Scripts -- Return to the borderland. Half life ; Data needed for a blueprint ; No obvious bushes ; Four blue droplets.