Life on the Edge. The Coming of Age of Quantum Biology
Description
The startling discovery that the weirdness of quantum mechanics provides the vital spark that ignites life
Life is the most extraordinary phenomenon in the known universe; but how does it work? Even in this age of cloning and synthetic biology, the remarkable truth remains: nobody has ever made anything living entirely out of dead material. Life remains the only way to make life. Are we missing a vital ingredient in its creation?
Like Richard Dawkins' The Selfish Gene, which provided a new perspective on evolution, Life on the Edge alters our understanding of life's dynamics as Jim Al-Khalili and Johnjoe Macfadden reveal the hitherto missing ingredient to be quantum mechanics. Drawing on recent ground-breaking experiments around the world, they show how photosynthesis relies on subatomic particles existing in many places at once, while inside enzymes, those workhorses of life that make every molecule within our cells, particles vanish from one point in space and instantly materialize in another.
Each chapter in Life on the Edge opens with an engaging example that illustrates one of life's puzzles - How do migrating birds know where to go? How do we really smell the scent of a rose? How do our genes manage to copy themselves with such precision? - and then reveals how quantum mechanics delivers its answer. Guiding the reader through the maze of rapidly unfolding discovery, Al-Khalili and McFadden communicate vividly the excitement of this explosive new field of quantum biology, with its potentially revolutionary applications, and also offer insights into the biggest puzzle of all: what is life?
Life is the most extraordinary phenomenon in the known universe; but how does it work? Even in this age of cloning and synthetic biology, the remarkable truth remains: nobody has ever made anything living entirely out of dead material. Life remains the only way to make life. Are we missing a vital ingredient in its creation?
Like Richard Dawkins' The Selfish Gene, which provided a new perspective on evolution, Life on the Edge alters our understanding of life's dynamics as Jim Al-Khalili and Johnjoe Macfadden reveal the hitherto missing ingredient to be quantum mechanics. Drawing on recent ground-breaking experiments around the world, they show how photosynthesis relies on subatomic particles existing in many places at once, while inside enzymes, those workhorses of life that make every molecule within our cells, particles vanish from one point in space and instantly materialize in another.
Each chapter in Life on the Edge opens with an engaging example that illustrates one of life's puzzles - How do migrating birds know where to go? How do we really smell the scent of a rose? How do our genes manage to copy themselves with such precision? - and then reveals how quantum mechanics delivers its answer. Guiding the reader through the maze of rapidly unfolding discovery, Al-Khalili and McFadden communicate vividly the excitement of this explosive new field of quantum biology, with its potentially revolutionary applications, and also offer insights into the biggest puzzle of all: what is life?
Technical Details
author: | Al-Khalili Jim, McFadden Johnjoe |
ISBN: | 9780552778077 |
year: | 2015 |
Price history chart & currency exchange rate
Customers also viewed
![Coming of Age in Second Life : An Anthropologist Explores the Virtually Human
Coming of Age in Second Life : An Anthropologist Explores the Virtually Human](http://pictures.abebooks.com/isbn/9780691168340-us.jpg)
28%
~ 1,720.00 руб.
Coming of Age in Second Life : An Anthropologist Explores the Virtually Human
abebooks.com![What Is Life: Investigating the Nature of Life in the Age of Synthetic Biology
What Is Life: Investigating the Nature of Life in the Age of Synthetic Biology](http://pictures.abebooks.com/isbn/9780374288518-us.jpg)
-5%
26%
~ 1,820.00 руб.
What Is Life: Investigating the Nature of Life in the Age of Synthetic Biology
abebooks.com![The Vanishing American Adult: Our Coming-of-Age Crisis--and How to Rebuild a Culture of Self-Reliance
The Vanishing American Adult: Our Coming-of-Age Crisis--and How to Rebuild a Culture of Self-Reliance](http://pictures.abebooks.com/isbn/9781250114402-us.jpg)
12%
~ 1,230.00 руб.
The Vanishing American Adult: Our Coming-of-Age Crisis--and How to Rebuild a Culture of Self-Reliance
abebooks.com![Crossing Mandelbaum Gate: Coming of Age Between the Arabs and Israelis, 1956-1978 [signed]
Crossing Mandelbaum Gate: Coming of Age Between the Arabs and Israelis, 1956-1978 [signed]](http://pictures.abebooks.com/isbn/9781416544418-us.jpg)
8%
~ 1,320.00 руб.
Crossing Mandelbaum Gate: Coming of Age Between the Arabs and Israelis, 1956-1978 [signed]
abebooks.com![The Great Pyramid: its builder and its prophecy. With a review of the corresponding prophecies of scripture relating to coming events and the approaching end of the age by colonel Garnier. 1905
The Great Pyramid: its builder and its prophecy. With a review of the corresponding prophecies of scripture relating to coming events and the approaching end of the age by colonel Garnier. 1905](http://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/ad0d885b-6728-4d49-adc3-bbac3ce977c2.fe55580cdf935acbd7df4d9206b26163.jpeg?odnHeight=450&odnWidth=450&odnBg=ffffff)
-5%
7%
~ 5,280.00 руб.
The Great Pyramid: its builder and its prophecy. With a review of the corresponding prophecies of scripture relating to coming events and the approaching end of the age by colonel Garnier. 1905
walmart.com![The Secrets of the Hopewell Box: Stolen Elections, Southern Politics, and a City's Coming of Age [signed]
The Secrets of the Hopewell Box: Stolen Elections, Southern Politics, and a City's Coming of Age [signed]](http://pictures.abebooks.com/isbn/9780812924282-us.jpg)
4%
~ 4,850.00 руб.
The Secrets of the Hopewell Box: Stolen Elections, Southern Politics, and a City's Coming of Age [signed]
abebooks.com![Coming of Age in Chicago: The 1893 World's Fair and the Coalescence of American Anthropology
Coming of Age in Chicago: The 1893 World's Fair and the Coalescence of American Anthropology](http://pictures.abebooks.com/isbn/9780803268388-us.jpg)
2%
~ 3,780.00 руб.
Coming of Age in Chicago: The 1893 World's Fair and the Coalescence of American Anthropology
abebooks.com![Right Time, Right Place: Coming of Age with William F. Buckley Jr. and the Conservative Movement
Right Time, Right Place: Coming of Age with William F. Buckley Jr. and the Conservative Movement](http://pictures.abebooks.com/isbn/9780465013555-us.jpg)
-3%
1%
~ 1,340.00 руб.
Right Time, Right Place: Coming of Age with William F. Buckley Jr. and the Conservative Movement
abebooks.com![The Youth Development Handbook: Coming of Age in American Communities
The Youth Development Handbook: Coming of Age in American Communities](http://pictures.abebooks.com/isbn/9780761988724-us.jpg)
-5%
1%
~ 6,970.00 руб.
The Youth Development Handbook: Coming of Age in American Communities
abebooks.com![From the Cockpit: Coming of Age in the Korean War [signed] [first edition]
From the Cockpit: Coming of Age in the Korean War [signed] [first edition]](http://pictures.abebooks.com/isbn/9780971766747-us.jpg)
1%
~ 2,470.00 руб.
From the Cockpit: Coming of Age in the Korean War [signed] [first edition]
abebooks.com![Rethinking Humanity: Five Foundational Sector Disruptions, the Lifecycle of Civilizations, and the Coming Age of Freedom (RethinkX Sector Disruption)
Rethinking Humanity: Five Foundational Sector Disruptions, the Lifecycle of Civilizations, and the Coming Age of Freedom (RethinkX Sector Disruption)](http://pictures.abebooks.com/isbn/9781734954609-us.jpg)
1%
~ 1,970.00 руб.
Rethinking Humanity: Five Foundational Sector Disruptions, the Lifecycle of Civilizations, and the Coming Age of Freedom (RethinkX Sector Disruption)
abebooks.com![From Here To Puberty: Coming of age of a young boy in the Midwest in the 1950's and his battle with the Catholic Church
From Here To Puberty: Coming of age of a young boy in the Midwest in the 1950's and his battle with the Catholic Church](http://pictures.abebooks.com/isbn/9781797967127-us.jpg)
-3%
1%
~ 2,210.00 руб.
From Here To Puberty: Coming of age of a young boy in the Midwest in the 1950's and his battle with the Catholic Church
abebooks.com![A Bright and Guilty Place: Murder, Corruption , and L.A.'s Scandalous Coming of Age [signed] [first edition]
A Bright and Guilty Place: Murder, Corruption , and L.A.'s Scandalous Coming of Age [signed] [first edition]](http://pictures.abebooks.com/isbn/9780385509701-us.jpg)
1%
~ 1,230.00 руб.
A Bright and Guilty Place: Murder, Corruption , and L.A.'s Scandalous Coming of Age [signed] [first edition]
abebooks.com![Next Year in Cuba: a Cubano's Coming-of-age in America [signed] [first edition]
Next Year in Cuba: a Cubano's Coming-of-age in America [signed] [first edition]](http://pictures.abebooks.com/isbn/9780385472968-us.jpg)
1%
~ 1,320.00 руб.
Next Year in Cuba: a Cubano's Coming-of-age in America [signed] [first edition]
abebooks.com![Miss Agnès: A Tender Coming-of-Age Novella Set In 1908 (A Resistance Girl Novel)
Miss Agnès: A Tender Coming-of-Age Novella Set In 1908 (A Resistance Girl Novel)](http://pictures.abebooks.com/isbn/9789083089225-us.jpg)
1%
~ 1,270.00 руб.
Miss Agnès: A Tender Coming-of-Age Novella Set In 1908 (A Resistance Girl Novel)
abebooks.com![Сенсор (тачскрин) для телефона Alcatel One Touch 7040 Pop C7 (7041D, 7042) Black
Сенсор (тачскрин) для телефона Alcatel One Touch 7040 Pop C7 (7041D, 7042) Black](http://images.ua.prom.st/2403763300_w640_h640_sensor-tachskrin-dlya.jpg)
-11%
1%
~ 212.00 руб.
Сенсор (тачскрин) для телефона Alcatel One Touch 7040 Pop C7 (7041D, 7042) Black
prom.ua![Miniature Kimono Dolls Japanese Mini Geisha Doll Figurine Traditional Asian Kokeshi Doll Statue Oriental Doll Figurine
Miniature Kimono Dolls Japanese Mini Geisha Doll Figurine Traditional Asian Kokeshi Doll Statue Oriental Doll Figurine](http://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/Sb632090538ce4fd8b3080b5054e41576h.jpg)
-3%
1%
~ 329.00 руб.
Miniature Kimono Dolls Japanese Mini Geisha Doll Figurine Traditional Asian Kokeshi Doll Statue Oriental Doll Figurine
aliexpress.com![Hot 6 colors Moisturizing Nutritious Liquid Lip Serum Transparent Lip Balm Anti-cracking Lip Oil Lip Balm
Hot 6 colors Moisturizing Nutritious Liquid Lip Serum Transparent Lip Balm Anti-cracking Lip Oil Lip Balm](http://img30.360buyimg.com/ecps/s400x400_jfs/t1/92252/5/5486/148901/5dee10fcE3e6bc9a0/cdb528172925c2c0.jpg)
-5%
1%
~ 625.00 руб.
Hot 6 colors Moisturizing Nutritious Liquid Lip Serum Transparent Lip Balm Anti-cracking Lip Oil Lip Balm
joybuy.com