For fans of The Song of the Cell—a profusely, creatively illustrated journey through the origins and evolution of the building blocks of life, from an award-winning biologist and illustrator
In the fifteenth century, while astronomers were discovering the heavens and explorers were mapping the globe, scientist Robert Hooke discovered that everything that lives on Earth—from animals to plants, algae to fungi—is made up of cells. Two centuries later, Charles Darwin proposed that all cells on Earth originate from the same common ancestral cell: LUCA (Last Universal Common Ancestor).
Understanding how LUCA appeared billions of years ago and evolved to form all organisms is a fascinating journey through history, biology, and what it means to be alive. Combining art with science, biologist and illustrator Christian Sardet breaks down DNA, RNA, protists, viruses, cell reproduction and death, and more.
Written in simple, easy-to-understand language and accompanied by a wide array of beautiful, information-rich illustrations, Cells is an authoritative overview of the building blocks of life. Written with visual and lifelong learners in mind, this adventure through the origins of life will bring every curious reader up to speed on recent research and teach you everything there is to know about cells— how they work, how they have evolved over time, and why we find them so fascinating.
Praise for the French Edition
“Whether [you’re] passionate about biology or a novice, one enters this book as if opening a treasure chest.”—Pour La Science / Scientific American (France)
“Christian Sardet has masterfully combined the beauty of art with the rigor of science.”—Le Monde
“Vibrant words and drawings . . . Even if you didn’t love biology courses, this book reads like a novel with unexpected and captivating episodes.”—L’Obs
“These superbly graphic and colorful pages allow us to follow the odyssey of life with great pleasure. A fine achievement.”—We Demain magazine
“A fascinating journey through time and the infinitely small.”—Arte 28 Minutes (French prime-time TV)
“An inner journey, this book with its mesmerizing images offers a deep dive into the heart of life.”—Beaux-arts