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Remarkable Creatures: Epic Adventures in the Search for the Origin of Species
An award-wining biologist takes us on the dramatic
expeditions that unearthed the history of life on
our planet.
Just 150 years ago,most of our world was an unexplored
wilderness.Our sense of how old it was? Vague and
vastly off the mark. And our sense of our own species'
history? A set of fantastic myths and fairy tales. Fossils had
been known for millennia, but they were seen a...more
expeditions that unearthed the history of life on
our planet.
Just 150 years ago,most of our world was an unexplored
wilderness.Our sense of how old it was? Vague and
vastly off the mark. And our sense of our own species'
history? A set of fantastic myths and fairy tales. Fossils had
been known for millennia, but they were seen a...more
Audiobook, 10 pages
Published
February 5th 2009
by Brilliance Audio
(first published 2006)
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Apr 05, 2009
Nurul
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
my-library,
scienceandnature
I've read several of Dr. Carroll's scientific papers. So, standing on science section of a book store and finding a natural history book authored by him was like a tiny adventure for me, a successful one. I couldn't wait to read this book and follow his journey in tracking the pioneers of scientific natural history research in search for all the remarkable lifeforms on earth.
From Darwin, Wallace, Eugene Dubois with his 'Java man', back to the "Cambrian period which marked the early life on earth...more
From Darwin, Wallace, Eugene Dubois with his 'Java man', back to the "Cambrian period which marked the early life on earth...more
Sooo.....we did evolve from apes. I knew it! That explains so many things, all the hair in unusual places, the urge to groom my husband, why my youngest hangs on me like a monkey. Carroll includes a quote on the last page of this book, talk is cheap, exploration and discovery is hard. Boy, oh boy is that true! Some people are just born to find stuff. Some people are just premade to tackle decades of dealing with sunburns, throwing up, fire ant bites, fevers, sea-sickness, more throwing up, starv...more
5 likes · like · see review
I liked this book because it was as much about the scientists included as their discoveries. Of course now I want to go pick up more thorough biographies about some of the people that it covers...
The very end of the book starts to drag though. After a good overview of Pauling's political activism, things get a bit jargon heavy and we stop getting the same level of personal detail that made the rest of the book so interesting.
The very end of the book starts to drag though. After a good overview of Pauling's political activism, things get a bit jargon heavy and we stop getting the same level of personal detail that made the rest of the book so interesting.
Do you believe in the story of Adam and Eve? Well you might be rethinking that after you've Remarkable Creatures. This book is a collection of all the great paleontological discoveries in history from Charles Darwin in the 1850's to Louis Leakey in the early-mid 1900's. It mainly focuses on where life itself came from, but a large part of it is dedicated to the origin of the modern human. It's not so much about the creatures that were discovered, but the people that discovered them. This book w...more
In Remarkable Creatures, Sean Carroll takes the reader on a lively tour of the discoveries in evolution, biology, genetics, archeology, geology and scientific dating that have revolutionized the thinking about how man appeared on earth and changed over the years. Carroll is a professor of molecular biology and genetics and an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at the University of Wisconsin, and a member of the National Academy of Sciences.
The book is structured in three areas...more
The book is structured in three areas...more
"All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them".
This book is a chronicle of the greatest adventures in natural history in the last 200 years. The author Sean Carroll, a professor of genetics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, looks at the lives of people who had gone into the wild, with one purpose, to find evidence of evolution. He starts with Darwin and his voyage around the world. Darwin's passion for collecting and for exploring the unknown wa...more
This book is a chronicle of the greatest adventures in natural history in the last 200 years. The author Sean Carroll, a professor of genetics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, looks at the lives of people who had gone into the wild, with one purpose, to find evidence of evolution. He starts with Darwin and his voyage around the world. Darwin's passion for collecting and for exploring the unknown wa...more
In 1584, the Catholic monk Giordano Bruno asserted that there were “countless suns and countless earths all rotating around their suns.” He was charged with heresy and burned at the stake in 1600.
And here I thought peer reviews these days were unforgiving.
This book wasn't quite what I expected, but it was really lovely. It's not much about the creatures, but mostly about the discoverers. It's interesting, for all that.
This book features a few of my favorite scientists. That got me all excited...more
In an extremely close, affectionate, life-long marriage, Charles Darwin and his wife Emma were able to tolerate and transcend their philosophical differences. (She was a devout, conservative Christian who believed in the Biblical version of creation.) He entrusted her with the disposition of his writings in the event of his early demise.
Louis Leaky, a son of English missionaries in Africa, was initiated into the native Kikuyu society at the age of 11. He received an African name (Wakuruigi, "So...more
Louis Leaky, a son of English missionaries in Africa, was initiated into the native Kikuyu society at the age of 11. He received an African name (Wakuruigi, "So...more
I was given a wonderful glimpse of what has driven great naturalists into the field despite fatigue, disease, and sometimes an utter lack of funds. These people clearly enjoyed taking their field by storm and getting down to serious disputations about their findings. There is nothing like a solid wrangle over a fossil to get the best work done.
Besides Darwin, Wallace and Bates early work and their influences the book covers Eugène Dubois's discovery of Java Man; Charles Walcott's discovery of th...more
Besides Darwin, Wallace and Bates early work and their influences the book covers Eugène Dubois's discovery of Java Man; Charles Walcott's discovery of th...more
Feb 09, 2010
Stephanie
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Nerds like me
Science has a reputation for being boring. I’ve made the acquaintance of many a science textbook in my time, and I can say that, in spite of my love for science, that reputation is not unwarranted. Textbook writers could stand to learn a thing or two from Sean B. Carroll, author of Remarkable Creatures: Epic Adventures in the Search for the Origin of Species.
In Remarkable Creatures, Carroll tells the stories of many of the men and women that have made great discoveries in the field of evolutiona...more
In Remarkable Creatures, Carroll tells the stories of many of the men and women that have made great discoveries in the field of evolutiona...more
1 like · like · see review
Carroll's earlier book about evolutionary biology, "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" was an amazing book that takes the reader me deep inside the science underlying evolution and explained in ways comprehensible to the nonscientist how a limited number of genes go about building the myriad forms our bodies take. Given how great that book was, my expectations were high for this one.
Unfortunately, for me at least, this book turns out to be a very lightweight survey of several explorer/scientists whos...more
Unfortunately, for me at least, this book turns out to be a very lightweight survey of several explorer/scientists whos...more
1 like · like · see review
Disclaimer: the two-star rating is an indication of my own enjoyment of the book, not of the book's actual quality.
I wanted to read a book on biology, so I did a quick search on Goodreads and came up with Remarkable Creatures. But apparently I didn't realize what I was getting into, because the book isn't about biology so much as it is the history of biology. And, I tell ya--if there's one subject I hate, it's history.
The book started out okay (it's kind of interesting to think of what it must h...more
I wanted to read a book on biology, so I did a quick search on Goodreads and came up with Remarkable Creatures. But apparently I didn't realize what I was getting into, because the book isn't about biology so much as it is the history of biology. And, I tell ya--if there's one subject I hate, it's history.
The book started out okay (it's kind of interesting to think of what it must h...more
Remarkable Creatures by Sean Carroll is not a biography but a set of biographies. Yet, it is a single story – detailing the journey of discovery that led many explorers, naturalists and scientists on a quest to solve the mystery of mysteries – the origins of life itself. From Charles Darwin and Alfred Russell Wallace in the birth of the theory of evolution to the paleontological discoveries of Tiktaalik and Archaeopteryx, and finally to the rise of biochemical investigations into human origins,...more
This was just absolutely brilliant! It was extraordinarily interesting and informative, exceptionally well written, beautifully researched, marvelously accessible and exciting, and wonderfully cohesive!
So many times I found myself shaking my head with awe and wonder at the discoveries made by the scientists profiled in this book. It was just marvelous--I loved it! It made me wish that I had stopped flirting with the idea of majoring in biology, and just gone ahead and done it. Remarkable, indee...more
So many times I found myself shaking my head with awe and wonder at the discoveries made by the scientists profiled in this book. It was just marvelous--I loved it! It made me wish that I had stopped flirting with the idea of majoring in biology, and just gone ahead and done it. Remarkable, indee...more
This is an excellent introduction to the History of the theory of evolution.
Naturally, Carroll's book includes chapters on Darwin. It also includes those inspired him, his contemporaries and followers.
Don't read this book if you're looking for any in depth discussion of any particular aspect of evolution: you won't find it. It is however a highly enjoyable read, entertaining even, if you're interested in how the theory of evolution has developed and wish to know a little more about some of the...more
Naturally, Carroll's book includes chapters on Darwin. It also includes those inspired him, his contemporaries and followers.
Don't read this book if you're looking for any in depth discussion of any particular aspect of evolution: you won't find it. It is however a highly enjoyable read, entertaining even, if you're interested in how the theory of evolution has developed and wish to know a little more about some of the...more
Carroll writes a fieldwork-centric, mostly paleontology-centric book on evolution, which is interesting. You sometimes get pretty interesting paleontological popular science (Neil Shubin's Your Inner Fish, which Carroll covers, being a recent example), but they tend to be quite narrow in scope. It's easy to see why: you can't really give a broad overview of the whole of evolutionary biology without tackling more theoretical work. That work may be borne out in the fossil record, but using the fos...more
I heard this author today on NPR and at first I wanted to change the channel, but I fought the urge and heard this guy out. By the end, I was pretty fascinated with what he was talking about and wanted to check out this book. It sounds like each chapter talks about a different person/scientific discovery, each story with its own cinematic drama. I know, origin of species, but it sounds pretty intersting. Feathered dinosaurs, precambriac life, earth's crust...Doesn't sound that interesting now, b...more
Mar 21, 2009
Nicole
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone
Shelves:
science
This was a really fun overview of the history of the theory of evolution, told through the biographies of it's major contributors. Of course, it starts with Darwin, but I pleasantly surprised to find that Mr. Carroll gave as much space and attention to each of the other scientists/naturalists that he addressed. I was also thrilled that he didn't just stick to biology, rather branched out into paleontology, paleoanthropology, and molecular biology, and the scientists that in their own way and wit...more
I didn't really realize that some of these things (neanderthal v. homo sapiens, dinosaur extinction) were quite so new, as ideas. I guess they've all basically been around since I have, or since I've been paying attention, so they all seem like old news or so.
Anyway, fun book. I burned through it in just a few days. Sorta lost interest a little with the humans research, asia versus africa descent and suches, perhaps too much reading for me too quickly, but it's all good.
Also, how do people not b...more
Anyway, fun book. I burned through it in just a few days. Sorta lost interest a little with the humans research, asia versus africa descent and suches, perhaps too much reading for me too quickly, but it's all good.
Also, how do people not b...more
A great little overview of some notable biologists and their discoveries. Carroll tempers his wonder with rigor, succinctly but thoroughly explaining a great deal of science alongside the zany adventures of his heroes, with ample citations in appendices. My only critiques are that it was too brief to be completely satisfying for someone familiar with the science (at least in broad strokes), and the occasional moments of dorkiness (Snakes on Plane reference (p. 145)? Seriously?).
Notes
"I did not w...more
Notes
"I did not w...more
Jul 06, 2009
Cathy Douglas
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
science-nonfiction
A good book that could be better. The first 3/4 or so makes very good reading, with the kind of details about the people involved that keep good popular science books interesting to lay readers. There was a lot of familiar material in these chapters, but I found enough that was new and some lively storytelling to keep me going.
Unaccountably, the writing degrades as Dr. Carroll gets closer to our own time and his areas of expertise -- interpreting genetic and other information at the cellular lev...more
Unaccountably, the writing degrades as Dr. Carroll gets closer to our own time and his areas of expertise -- interpreting genetic and other information at the cellular lev...more
I discovered this book from this video of the author telling the Alfred Russel Wallace story. The talk is great and the book is more of the same.
Most of these stories I first heard told in my college anthropology courses. They constitute a big chunk of the mythos of the discipline. Visit your local natural history museum while reading to see casts of many of the fossils mentioned herein.
Most of these stories I first heard told in my college anthropology courses. They constitute a big chunk of the mythos of the discipline. Visit your local natural history museum while reading to see casts of many of the fossils mentioned herein.
This is a remarkable survey of the individual chapters that make up the history of science in the last 150 years. The author catches the thrill of discovery well. My favorite chapters were those dealing with the events at the K-T boundary and the work of the Alvarez family and with the career of Louis Leakey. (Forty years ago I got to hear Leakey speak twice (!)--He was wonderful. I don't remember what he said exactly, but I'll never forget being in his presence.)
Carroll's latest is well worth reading. In a series of chapters that serve as vignettes, Carroll explores the adventurers in evolutionary science who were, themselves, remarkable creatures. Carroll includes notable scientists from the nearly inevitable Darwin and Wallace, to the work done by Neil Fisher, whose book Your Inner Fish was recently on the best-seller list.
Carroll writes both as a scientist and an enthusiast. This book is well worth reading.
Carroll writes both as a scientist and an enthusiast. This book is well worth reading.
I loved these stories of a dying breed of men, the adventurer scientists. This book really does a good job painting a narrative of evolution's "big" finds through the personal lives of scientists. I appreciate how the author dug a little deeper and found some very interesting anecdotes about the lives of these people. One thing shines through all of it, they were all overwhelmed by the wonder and beauty of nature. It drove them to uncover some truly remarkable things.
Apr 11, 2013
Eddy Allen
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
arts-and-historical
Just 150 years ago, most of our world was an unexplored wilderness. Our sense of its age was vague and vastly off the mark, and much of the knowledge of our own species’ history was a set of fantastic myths and fairy tales. In the tradition of The Microbe Hunters and Gods, Graves, and Scholars, Sean Carroll leads a rousing voyage that recounts the most important discoveries in two centuries of natural history: from Darwin’s trip around the world to Charles Walcott’s discovery of pre-Cambrian lif...more
I picked this book up on a whim while travelling through British Columbia. For anyone who is interested in or has questions about our knowledge of evolution, this book explores the history of the people and times when the first ideas of evolution began. It continues by talking about the contemporary search for clues of our evolution and the future of the many remarkable creatures that inhabit this planet.
The author has crafted a compelling set of biographical sketches that show readers the life and work of scientists who have contributed to our understanding of the development of life on Earth. I like the idea behind his section introductions, but I found the italic type hard to read. I'm not sure that the final section was necessary. It seems a bit tangential to me.
May 07, 2010
Nathan
rated it
1 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
history,
franklin-library
A jumbled rehash of everything you probably have already heard about paleoanthropology, stingy with any real insight. Carroll assumes a folksy tone meant to appeal to the general reader, but then leaves far too much unexplained, zipping from one story to the next without making connections or showing implications. The thing I liked best about this book was the cover art.
Carroll wrote this for the lay person so anyone can pick it up and enjoy. The well written story format makes it a fun natural history book. It takes you on a journey starting before Darwin and up to controversies still being debated in science. The short story format makes it easy to pick up and skip around to certain parts of evolution.
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Jun 07, 2009 11:35pm
Jun 07, 2009 11:43pm