What is Life? Where did it come from? Why does it end? In this beautiful and definitive new book, Professor Brian Cox takes us on an incredible journey to discover how a few fundamental laws gave birth to the most complex, diverse and unique force in the Universe - life itself. There are thought to be as many as 100 million different species on Earth - each and every one governed by the same laws. Everything in the Universe, from the smallest microbe to the largest cluster of galaxies, is constructed from the same fundamental building blocks and is subject to the same laws of nature. What is true for a bacterium is true for a blue whale. This is the story of the amazing diversity and adaptability of life told through the fundamental laws that govern it. Through his voyage of discovery, Brian will explain how the astonishing inventiveness of nature came about and uncover the milestones in the epic journey from the origin of life to our own lives. From the vast networks of subterranean freshwater caverns of the Yucatan peninsula to the unique and precious island of Madagascar, Brian will seek out the places where the biggest questions about life may be answered: what is life? Why do we need water and why does life end? Using the latest advances in science as well as the cutting-edge graphics used in The Sunday Times bestsellers Wonders of the Solar System and Wonders of the Universe, Brian will uncover the secrets of life in the most unexpected locations and in the most stunning detail.

作者簡介

布賴恩•考剋斯（Brian Cox），大英帝國勛章獲得者，粒子物理學傢，英國皇傢學會研究員，曼徹斯特大學教授，也是地球上最有雄心的實驗之一——瑞士的大型強子對撞機中的ATLAS實驗的研究人員。對公眾而言，他最知名的身份是英國廣播公司第二颱（BBC 2）廣受歡迎的電視係列紀錄片《太陽係的奇跡》（Wonders of the Solar System）和《觀星指南》（Stargazing Live）的科學主持人。20世紀90年代他曾是英國流行樂隊D:Ream的鍵盤手。

安德魯•科恩（Andrew Cohen），英國廣播公司（BBC）科學欄目組的負責人，也是BBC 2電視係列紀錄片《太陽係的奇跡》和《生命的奇跡》（Wonders of Life）的執行製作人。他從事科學傳播工作已有17年的時間，製作完成瞭大量科學紀錄片，如《明日世界》（Tomorrow’s World）、《地平綫》（Horizon）和《宇宙的奇跡》（Wonders of the Universe）。2005至2010年期間，他是BBC主打科學欄目《地平綫》的編劇。他和妻子及三個孩子一起住在倫敦。

譯者簡介

聞菲，果殼網科學編輯，擔綱果殼網“科學人物訪談”，對話《哥德爾、艾捨爾、巴赫——集異璧之大成》作者侯世達、美國頭號“科學打假人”邁剋爾•捨默、《地球的法則:21世紀地球宣言》作者斯圖爾特•布蘭德，等等，作品發錶於《科技日報》。