Elektroninė knyga, 368 psl.
English kalba
Publikuota 2016 m. rugpjūčio 9 d., Ecco.
From Pulitzer Prize winner Ed Yong, a groundbreaking, wondrously informative, and vastly entertaining examination of the most significant revolution in biology since Darwin—a “microbe’s-eye view” of the world that reveals a marvelous, radically reconceived picture of life on earth.
Every animal, whether human, squid, or wasp, is home to millions of bacteria and other microbes. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ed Yong, whose humor is as evident as his erudition, prompts us to look at ourselves and our animal companions in a new light—less as individuals and more as the interconnected, interdependent multitudes we assuredly are.
The microbes in our bodies are part of our immune systems and protect us from disease. In the deep oceans, mysterious creatures without mouths or guts depend on microbes for all their energy. Bacteria provide squid with invisibility cloaks, help beetles to bring down forests, and allow worms to cause diseases that afflict millions …
From Pulitzer Prize winner Ed Yong, a groundbreaking, wondrously informative, and vastly entertaining examination of the most significant revolution in biology since Darwin—a “microbe’s-eye view” of the world that reveals a marvelous, radically reconceived picture of life on earth.
Every animal, whether human, squid, or wasp, is home to millions of bacteria and other microbes. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ed Yong, whose humor is as evident as his erudition, prompts us to look at ourselves and our animal companions in a new light—less as individuals and more as the interconnected, interdependent multitudes we assuredly are.
The microbes in our bodies are part of our immune systems and protect us from disease. In the deep oceans, mysterious creatures without mouths or guts depend on microbes for all their energy. Bacteria provide squid with invisibility cloaks, help beetles to bring down forests, and allow worms to cause diseases that afflict millions of people.
Many people think of microbes as germs to be eradicated, but those that live with us—the microbiome—build our bodies, protect our health, shape our identities, and grant us incredible abilities. In this astonishing book, Ed Yong takes us on a grand tour through our microbial partners, and introduces us to the scientists on the front lines of discovery. It will change both our view of nature and our sense of where we belong in it.
Our interrelations with microbes as co-equal participants in health and evolution, from coral reefs to human microbiomes. Upturns simplifications of good and bad, of in and out, self and other, and finally made sense of metagenomics for me.
Ed Yong presents a popular science book about a microscopic subject. In I Contain Multitudes there are stories exploring bacteria that are crucial to human survival, and others that can be docile or dangerous depending on their populations. The book is ambitious, covering a lot of ground in a relatively young field that is becoming very popular. Between the atomic and the macro, we contain multitudes.
Although the breadth of research is impressive, there are shortcomings. The book lacks a reasonable critique, so keeps falling into traps of presenting only western viewpoints, for example, or using adjectives like "disgusting" when describing faeces (come on, it's just a little poo!). There is also a tendency to oversell new and unproven theories - a lot of the research written about is in its infancy, but is written as if it is guaranteed to succeed at some point in the future. Research …
Ed Yong presents a popular science book about a microscopic subject. In I Contain Multitudes there are stories exploring bacteria that are crucial to human survival, and others that can be docile or dangerous depending on their populations. The book is ambitious, covering a lot of ground in a relatively young field that is becoming very popular. Between the atomic and the macro, we contain multitudes.
Although the breadth of research is impressive, there are shortcomings. The book lacks a reasonable critique, so keeps falling into traps of presenting only western viewpoints, for example, or using adjectives like "disgusting" when describing faeces (come on, it's just a little poo!). There is also a tendency to oversell new and unproven theories - a lot of the research written about is in its infancy, but is written as if it is guaranteed to succeed at some point in the future. Research is, of course, not that simple.
Still, despite these issues, the writing is solid, approachable and very readable, and the science is excitingly new and dynamic. Yong has moved a lens over a microscopic world in an accessible and enjoyable book.
