Andrew Cohen - Wonders of Life

HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk

Collins is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

First published in 2013

Text © Brian Cox and Andrew Cohen 2013

Photographs, with the exception of those detailed in the picture credits section © BBC

Infographics, diagrams, design & layout © HarperCollins Publishers 2013

By arrangement with the BBC

The BBC logo is a trademark of the British Broadcasting Corporation and is used under licence.

BBC logo © BBC 1996

The authors assert their moral right to be identified as the authors of this work.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

HarperCollins Publishers has made every reasonable effort to ensure that any picture content and written content in this ebook has been included or removed in accordance with the contractual and technological constraints in operation at the time of publication

Source ISBN: 9780007452675

Ebook Edition © 2013 ISBN: 9780007452682

Version: 2018-06-18

All reasonable efforts have been made by the publishers to trace the copyright owners of the material quoted in this book and of any images reproduced in this book. In the event that the publishers are notified of any mistakes or omissions by copyright owners after publication of this book, the publishers will endeavour to rectify the position accordingly for any subsequent printing.

Publishing Director: Myles Archibald

Senior Editor: Julia Koppitz

Cover Design: HarperCollins Publishers

Book interior Design and Art Direction: Zoë Bather, Studio8 Design

Infographics: Nathalie Lees

Production: Stuart Masheter

Colour reproduction by FMG

For George Albert Eagle, a Wonder of Life

Brian Cox

To my beautiful Anna, it’s a precious thing, even more so when you share it.

Thank you for our first ten years and for all your endless love, support and guidance.

Andrew Cohen

Cover

Title Page

Copyright HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF www.harpercollins.co.uk Collins is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. First published in 2013 Text © Brian Cox and Andrew Cohen 2013 Photographs, with the exception of those detailed in the picture credits section © BBC Infographics, diagrams, design & layout © HarperCollins Publishers 2013 By arrangement with the BBC The BBC logo is a trademark of the British Broadcasting Corporation and is used under licence. BBC logo © BBC 1996 The authors assert their moral right to be identified as the authors of this work. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. HarperCollins Publishers has made every reasonable effort to ensure that any picture content and written content in this ebook has been included or removed in accordance with the contractual and technological constraints in operation at the time of publication Source ISBN: 9780007452675 Ebook Edition © 2013 ISBN: 9780007452682 Version: 2018-06-18 All reasonable efforts have been made by the publishers to trace the copyright owners of the material quoted in this book and of any images reproduced in this book. In the event that the publishers are notified of any mistakes or omissions by copyright owners after publication of this book, the publishers will endeavour to rectify the position accordingly for any subsequent printing. Publishing Director: Myles Archibald Senior Editor: Julia Koppitz Cover Design: HarperCollins Publishers Book interior Design and Art Direction: Zoë Bather, Studio8 Design Infographics: Nathalie Lees Production: Stuart Masheter Colour reproduction by FMG

Dedication For George Albert Eagle, a Wonder of Life Brian Cox To my beautiful Anna, it’s a precious thing, even more so when you share it. Thank you for our first ten years and for all your endless love, support and guidance. Andrew Cohen

INTRODUCTION

WONDERS OF LIFE

CHAPTER 1

HOME

Evolution of Life

Return of the King

A Very Special Home

Simple but Complex

The History of the Exploration of Water

Water, Water Everywhere…

Water: the Essential Ingredient

Walking on Water

Treetops to Teardrops: The Magic of Hydrogen Bonds

INTO THE LIGHT

A Train Journey Through Time

A Child Star

A Unique and Colourful World

The Origin of Life’s Colours

From the Smallest Beginnings…

Eating the Sun

A Breath of Fresh Air

Breath of Life

Four-legged Life Story

CHAPTER 2

WHAT IS LIFE?

THE BRIEFEST OF BEAUTY

Day of the Dead

What is Life?

Energy and the First Law of Thermodynamics

FIRST LIFE

Life’s First Energy Source

On Professor Cox’s Battery and the Origin of Life

Searching for Eden: A Warm Little Pond…

Universal Life

Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Life

Life and the Second Law of Thermodynamics: Schrödinger’s Paradox

Follow the Sun

The Origin of Life’s Order

One Big Family

CHAPTER 3

SIZE MATTERS

LIFE-SIZE DIFFERENCES

Same Planet, Different World

Ocean Giants

The Physics of a Killer

Small is Beautiful