Life

Life is a compelling addition to the Darwin College Lecture Series, in which eight distinguished authors each present an essay from their area of expertise devoted to the theme of 'life'. The book forges connections between art, science and the humanities in a vibrant and thought-provoking collection that exposes both conventional and unconventional views on the meaning of life, the enigmatic boundaries between the living and the dead, and what may or may not follow afterwards. This collection arises from the Darwin College Lecture Series of 2012 and includes contributions from eight distinguished scholars, all of whom are held in esteem not only for their research, but also for their ability to communicate their subject to popular audiences.Preface; 1. Life and death of a cell Ron Laskey; 2. The spark of life Frances Ashcroft; 3. From genomes to the diversity of life Michael Akam; 4. Artificial life Chris Bishop; 5. Life in conflict: soldier, surgeon, photographer, fly Mark de Rond; 6. Life in the ancient world Michael Scott; 7. Life in ruins Robert Macfarlane; 8. The after life Clive Gamble; Index.