Shubin describes how over the last half-century, scientists have been able to explore how genetic recipes build bodies during embryological development--how these inventions and adaptations occur in a nonprogressive manner in different contexts, at different speeds
Neil Shubin Books







Your Inner Fish
- 256 pages
- 9 hours of reading
Your Inner Fish tells the extraordinary history of the human body and gives answers to some of the questions that only evolution can. Why do we look the way we do? Why are we able to do all the different things we do? And, finally, why do we fall ill in the way that we do? Neil Shubin draws on the latest genetic research and his huge experience as an expeditionary paleontologist to show the incredible impact the 3.5 billion year history of life has had on our bodies. He takes readers on a fascinating, unexpected journey and allows us to discover the deep connection to nature in our own bodies.
Recognized as a standout in nonfiction, this book offers a compelling exploration of its subject matter, blending insightful analysis with engaging narratives. It delves into themes that resonate with contemporary readers, providing a fresh perspective on significant issues. The author's expertise and unique voice shine through, making complex ideas accessible and thought-provoking. This work not only informs but also challenges readers to reflect on their own views and understanding of the world.
The universe within : a scientific adventure
- 225 pages
- 8 hours of reading
During the past 13.7 billion years (or so) since the Big Bang, our universe has evolved, stars have formed and died and our planet congealed from the matter in space. In this title, the author reveals to us the extraordinary cosmic and evolutionary adventure of our own bodies.
The White Stallion
- 64 pages
- 3 hours of reading
Long ago, in 1845, a young girl named Gretchen and her family were on their way west. One day, the horse Gretchen was riding strayed far away from the wagon train. Gretchen was lost and all alone. But then a magnificent white stallion appeared. And Gretchen knew she didn't have to be afraid, because the beautiful horse would show her the way back home.
The Universe Within
- 225 pages
- 8 hours of reading
**Kirkus Best Books of the Year (2013)** From one of our finest and most popular science writers, and the best-selling author of Your Inner Fish, comes the answer to a scientific mystery as big as the world itself: How are the events that formed our solar system billions of years ago embedded inside each of us? In Your Inner Fish, Neil Shubin delved into the amazing connections between human bodies--our hands, heads, and jaws--and the structures in fish and worms that lived hundreds of millions of years ago. In The Universe Within, with his trademark clarity and exuberance, Shubin takes an even more expansive approach to the question of why we look the way we do. Starting once again with fossils, he turns his gaze skyward, showing us how the entirety of the universe's fourteen-billion-year history can be seen in our bodies. As he moves from our very molecular composition (a result of stellar events at the origin of our solar system) through the workings of our eyes, Shubin makes clear how the evolution of the cosmos has profoundly marked our own bodies. WITH BLACK-AND-WHITE LINE DRAWINGS THROUGHOUT
Das Universum in dir
Eine etwas andere Naturgeschichte
Die Gesamtgeschichte der Erde und des Menschen und von Allem – ungewöhnlich, unterhaltsam und packend! Seit dem Urknall haben sich Galaxien, Sonnensysteme und Planeten gebildet und im Laufe der Äonen entwickelte sich das Leben auf der Erde. Angesichts dessen könnten wir Menschen uns unbedeutend vorkommen – doch tief in uns verborgen liegt das große Wunder des Lebens: Das Universum ist in uns! Der weltbekannte Paläontologe Neil Shubin geht in seinem neuen Buch den Rätseln unseres Lebens nach: Er erzählt von der Zusammensetzung der Moleküle, findet eine Erklärung dafür, weshalb wir einen Regenbogen sehen können und zeigt, wie das Universum unseren Schlafrhythmus und die Geschwindigkeit beeinflusst, mit der sich unsere Zellen teilen. Ein wissenschaftliches Abenteuer, nach dem wir besser verstehen, wer – und was – wir sind.
Die Geschichte des Lebens
Vier Milliarden Jahre Evolution entschlüsselt