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The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution |
The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution
Charles Darwin may have shook society to its core with his masterpiece On the Origin of Species in 1859 because he was only too aware of the controversy his theory could stir but even he would not know how to react if he knew that the world is still debating over the issue a century and a half later. While all scientists believe in evolution, millions of people continue to question its authenticity. Thus, Richard Dawkins takes on creationists including those who believe in Intelligent Design and substantiate the notion of evolution through natural selection in his book The Greatest Show on Earth.
He sifts through fascinating layers of scientific facts and disciplines to build a cast-iron case, citing examples of natural selection in birds and insects, time clocks of trees and radioactive dating that standardize a timescale for evolution, fossil records that trace man’s earliest ancestors, molecular biology and genetics to prove how evolution is the only explainable truth.
The book has been published at a time when more people are systematically opposing traditional views in America. In The Greatest Show on Earth, Dawkins tries to clarify with scientific interpretations the doubts that people across the world have about the start of the universe while sharing with his readers his palpable love for the natural world at the same time. Written with wit, passion and elegance, this book is not only consuming it is also extremely convincing.
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This sounds like a very interesting read and one that I will definitely have to make time for soon. These are the kind of books that I can really get into and spend time with. Some of the more "progressive" or alternative viewed books seem far too argumentative or instigatory for me.
I read this book and I really can recommend it to anyone wishing to learn more about where we came from. And with we I mean every living thing on the planet. Some chapters are really hard (and boring, to me) like embryology, but then again I am no scholar.
A real eye opener!
This is Dawkins at his best imo. I loved this and 'climbing mount improbable'
you could buy and read this which costs money, takes lots of time and lots more effort or you could take the Donald approach and simply attack the author and scream fake news
if there was an easy way to make money everyone would be doing it
if there was an easy was to being successful everyone would be a success
feck it, too much effort lets just say god did it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnaioQ8EEY0
Richard D. Does a little intro here. It's worth a watch.
I highly recommend this book. It will give you a solid base of understanding. You need to know how to point out all the ways people misunderstand evolution. This book will help greatly.
I'm halfway through and I also struggled a bit with embryology. But overall it has given me such clear ways to conceptualize the process of evolution. Plus I'm listening to the audio version and Dawkins and his co-narrator are awesome.
I gave my copy of this book away to someone who needed far more than I did.
As others have said, its a great read. However, lately I have been trying to remember something I read about how early agricultural activity, specifically, cross-fertilisation of crop plants, wheat, rice barley etc led to a quadrupling of size and output.
I cannot recall which book I read it in and after checking most of the biology books I own and have read am left to believe the reference is in The Greatest Show on Earth. The term used, and this is what I have been trying to remember, was something like "maximillary" or "maxi-something". if someone who has read the book or who would be kind enough to check, could they please tell me if the reference is indeed there and if so what the term was? Strange question, I know, but I end up asking a lot of strange questions from time to time, I'm a really curious bugger.
My copy went to a young girl, my partners niece, in Manila who lived in a two room shanty in the slums with her mum. She was an A grade science student who spent an afternoon trying to explain to me the relationship between specific isotopes of chlorides, I think. I'm curious but not a scientist and it was clear to me she really wanted to read that book, which her mother could never had afforded. She's in university now studying physics, just like my son did. I like to think giving up the book was a good investment.
Thanks in advance for any help with this.