Oxygen: The molecule that made the world (Oxford Landmark Science)

This is an epic book, combining Geology, History, Chemistry, Medicine, Philosophy and other disciplines, on top of biology. You will learn about Madame Curie, as well as the story of Oedipus. Nick Lane is a masterful writer, and definitely also a polymath, spicing up 'boring' scientific data with interesting bits and pieces from every domain imaginable. It's not an exaggeration to say that the information in this book is worth several college courses, with respect to the amount of info. Sure, it's very demanding and taxing on the reader, but hey, if you find some paragraph not so interesting, just skip it and move on, like I did.. The author gives you the material, but it's a personal choice depending on your interests and education, to invest time in it or not. As in all his books, he is tackling the most difficult questions and beats every candidate theory to death... but that's what real, gutsy science is... To summarize the book in a short statement : Human bodies (and all bodies) are mere vehicles, slaves, serving the needs of Replication and continuation of the species.. which is very close to Richard Dawkins' Selfish Gene. Thanks Nick for another great book, and I hope you quit smoking :)

We've all heard the story of life on Earth, how animals breathe in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide while plants take in the carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. Life, then, is in perfect balance with each kingdom providing what the other kingdom needs. Turns out, however, it's a little more complicated than that. In "Oxygen" author and biochemist Nick Lane takes an in depth look at the role oxygen plays in the evolution of life as we know it on Earth. Just how, and when, did life adjust to this deadly element? And, what effect does it have on our everyday lives and aging pricess? While written for layman reader with some background in chemistry this is defiantly not an easy read. Lane pulls no punches when explaining chemical processes and he must often use scientific nomenclature to identify the various enzymes and the inner workings of a cell. The origin of life is not addressed in this book but he does examen current theories on how life evolved from that "Last Common Universal Ancestor" to become the plants, animals and other organisms that we're all familiar with. Life did not create oxygen, it only found a way to free oxygen from its chemical bonds and make use of its benefits while avoiding its dangers. Just how, and when, did LUCA become the complex life forms that populate our world; bacteria, viruses and multi celled organisms. Using the work and theories of other specialists as well as his own extensive background in biology and chemistry, Lane explains how two kinds of bacteria may have joined forces to become the eukaryote life forms that seem to dominate the world. After that the next challenge that life faced was oxygen itself and how life used it while avoiding its dangers. A good portion of the book is devoted to how oxygen is used by most organisms, including humans, and how it influences growth, reproduction, aging and, finally, death. As in his previous books, Lane's writing is clear, concise and ever interesting while explaining this complex subject. I had to struggle through some portions of this book but, in the end, it was worth the effort. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a challenging read on the inner workings of life and the environment. I had no downloading or technical problems with this Kindle edition. Last Ranger

This was a long, difficult read, but it had really great stuff in it, especially the first half. The author gives a great history and explanation of evolution, and a lot of great chemistry lessons as well. It is amazing how much of our world is affected by the properties of oxygen. I did find it very difficult to understand the concepts at times, and my mind would wander while reading it. I felt that I would need to read the book a second time to really understand everything, but I don't think I can face it. The second half of the book was a little more boring for me. It mostly deals with aging, which I find to be a depressing topic, and it was a shift away from all the cool things oxygen can do that filled the first half. Overall, I'm glad I read it. I learned a lot, but I'm not going to read another chemistry book for a long time.

This is a great overview of so many topics that are all under the umbrella of oxygen. While there is information that the general public will find interesting, I find that the way it is written is probably more appropriate for someone with a scientific background as there are some highly technical areas. The information about Vitamin C and anti-oxidants was extremely insightful because this book provides a clearer picture of everything that could be happening in our bodies in order to allow us to be healthy. Good read and I will use some of this information for my AP Biology class, as there are some very interesting and insightful examples that are noteworthy. This is the first book that I have read by Nick Lane, but it won't be my last!!

The book started very well, followed by a couple of chapters (the ones that mainly talk about geology) that were a little uninteresting to me. But I'm glad I kept on reading because after those "weak" sections it was great. It is a bit of a "heavy" read as it uses a lot of molecular biology/genetics terminology but still, I recommend it.

Challenges what you thought you knew and provides true insight and a new thoughtful view of "how things actually work"

The book is split in two parts, the first dealing more with the evolution of the atmosphere composition and its effects on the biosphere, the second with aging and death of organisms. To be honest I liked the first part more than the second, but this biased point of view is solely due to the interest I have towards the story of life on Earth. The second section is interesting nonetheless, and conveys really fascinating and new insights into the workings of Nature. Oxygen is central in our lives and in the story of life on Earth more than you think. One recommendation, while reading: keep int account that some sections need specific knowledge of chemistry and biology. The only think I can say is, read it slowly, because it's packed with interesting stuff and it's worth the time that you spend.

but this book gave me so much more! It made me understand life better than I could ever imagine. By studying biochemisty by myself as well as the author Nick Lane, I taught I knew quite a bit about the topic but Nick Lane explained it in such a thrilling and comprehensive way that I felt in love again with my study subject. In the book is explained why we age, and how we can slow down this process and even more it gives so much answeres to life generally and also answeres the question: "What came first? Egg or Hen?" What more can you expect of a book? Great book, great author!!!

Nick Lane先生の本は" The vital question"に続いて２冊目。前回の圧倒的に斬新で説得力ある仮説と血沸き肉躍る文章にすっかり心奪われて２冊目に挑戦した。この本も「酸素」という元素について、古生物学、地質学、物理学、化学、生物学から過去の偉大な科学者の評伝も含めて殆どあらゆる角度から見事な物語を展開している。本を読むということの楽しさを十二分に感じさせてくれる本である。他の著作も読んでみたい。