Life's Engines: How Microbes Made Earth Habitable - Paperback

by Paul G. Falkowski (Author)

The marvelous microbes that made life on Earth possible and support our very existence

For almost four billion years, microbes had the primordial oceans all to themselves. The stewards of Earth, these organisms transformed the chemistry of our planet to make it habitable for plants, animals, and us. Life's Engines takes readers deep into the microscopic world to explore how these marvelous creatures made life on Earth possible--and how human life today would cease to exist without them.

Paul Falkowski looks "under the hood" of microbes to find the engines of life, the actual working parts that do the biochemical heavy lifting for every living organism on Earth. With insight and humor, he explains how these miniature engines are built--and how they have been appropriated by and assembled like Lego sets within every creature that walks, swims, or flies. Falkowski shows how evolution works to maintain this core machinery of life, and how we and other animals are veritable conglomerations of microbes.

A vibrantly entertaining book about the microbes that support our very existence, Life's Engines will inspire wonder about these elegantly complex nanomachines that have driven life since its origin. It also issues a timely warning about the dangers of tinkering with that machinery to make it more "efficient" at meeting the ever-growing demands of humans in the coming century.

Back Jacket

"In this brilliant book, Falkowski explores the hidden world of microbes from the intertwined perspectives of a researcher deeply versed in both Earth and life sciences, taking us on an epic journey from the origins of life to the birth of our own species. Life's Engines is an engaging, revelatory read."--Robert M. Hazen, author of The Story of Earth

"Falkowski reminds us that we are living off the kindness of strangers--small ones, the microbes that are the very foundation of all life on this planet. He describes a hidden world of extraordinary complexity, taking us through the great discoveries that have taught us the rules. Life's Engines is a treasure trove of science and history that sounds a strong cautionary note about our future."--Martin J. Blaser, author of Missing Microbes: How the Overuse of Antibiotics Is Fueling Our Modern Plagues

"In this engaging book, Paul Falkowski presents an authoritative and highly personal account of microbes, the tiny organisms that shape the world. From the inner workings of the cell to the broad sweep of Earth history, Falkowski weaves a tale of discovery that has profound consequences for understanding our past, our future, and, not least, our own bodies."--Andrew H. Knoll, Harvard University and author of Life on a Young Planet: The First Three Billion Years of Evolution on Earth

"This is a microbial world, and we live here subject to microbial consent. In this perceptive and intriguing work, noted biophysicist and evolutionary biologist Paul Falkowski provides a grand tour of the intricacies of microbial life, from how they function to their role in making this a habitable planet. Falkowski has had a remarkable research career, and the rich diversity of his work provides a wonderful framework for this book."--Douglas H. Erwin, author of Extinction: How Life on Earth Nearly Ended 250 Million Years Ago

"Life's Engines provides a unique perspective on the micro and macro worlds that comprise the living Earth system. A very good read."--Edward F. DeLong, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

"Life's Engines is a distinct, engaging, and very worthwhile contribution."--Roger Summons, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Author Biography

Paul G. Falkowski holds the Bennett L. Smith Chair in Business and Natural Resources at Rutgers University, where he studies how microbes have shaped the history of Earth.