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Michael Marshall
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The Genesis Quest: The Geniuses and Eccentrics on a Journey to Uncover the Origin of Life on Earth First Edition, Kindle Edition

by Michael Marshall (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 58 ratings
A science journalist “focuses on the chemical research. . . . into life’s origins. . . . A fascinating and challenging story, leavened with mini-biographies” (Tim Flannery, New York Review of Books).

From the primordial soup to meteorite impact zones, the Manhattan Project to the latest research, this book is the first full history of the scientists who strive to explain the genesis of life.

How did life begin? Why are we here? These are some of the most profound questions we can ask.

For almost a century, a small band of eccentric scientists has struggled to answer these questions and explain one of the greatest mysteries of all: how and why life began on Earth. There are many different proposals, and each idea has attracted passionate believers who promote it with an almost religious fervor, as well as detractors who reject it with equal passion.

But the quest to unravel life’s genesis is not just a story of big ideas. It is also a compelling human story, rich in personalities, conflicts, and surprising twists and turns. Along the way, the journey takes in some of the greatest discoveries in modern biology, from evolution and cells to DNA and life’s family tree. It is also a search whose end may finally be in sight.

In The Genesis Quest, Michael Marshall shows how the quest to understand life’s beginning is also a journey to discover the true nature of life, and by extension our place in the universe.

“As lively in its telling as its subject is thought-provoking.” —The Well-read Naturalist

“An historical review of the search for the origin of life . . . . an approachable introduction . . . and also offers an interesting window on the lives of the scientists involved. Recommended.” —Choice
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  1. ISBN-13
    978-0226715377
  2. Edition
    First
  3. Publisher
    The University of Chicago Press
  4. Publication date
    November 20, 2020
  5. Language
    English
  6. File size
    1.6 MB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“In The Genesis Quest, the science writer Michael Marshall argues that belief in a life force long stymied progress in understanding life’s origins. It was only with publication of Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection in 1859 that the notion that the first living thing must have had a precursor became widespread. As science advanced, it was established that a collection of molecules with some lifelike properties must have given rise to life. Marshall’s book focuses on the chemical research—from the first speculative insights made by brilliant minds to the complex experiments that have increasingly dominated the field—into life’s origins. It’s a fascinating and challenging story, and leavened with mini-biographies, the best of which are based on his own interviews with his subjects." -- Tim Flannery ― New York Review of Books

"This book explores multiple theories about the origin of life and the story of how these ideas have progressed over the last century. The book's distinctive style comes from well-researched analysis of the behavior and lifestyles of the various scientists who have contributed to this fascinating and uniquely difficult question. . . . This book is an extremely stimulating read and I recommend it most strongly to scientists and laymen alike." -- Jim Lynch OBE FRSB ― The Biologist

“In his recently published The Genesis Quest: The Geniuses and Eccentrics on a Journey to Uncover the Origin of Life on Earth, author Marshall examines the ideas and researches of some of those who sought or are still seeking to uncover the explanation—or perhaps explanations—to this grand mystery. Described as being filled with colorful accounts of ‘ingenuity, rivalry, and staggering levels of bloody-mindedness,’ this is a work that promises to be as lively in its telling as its subject is thought-provoking.” ― The Well-read Naturalist

“Prepare yourself for a dazzling intellectual journey: the science is fascinating, the cast of characters all-too-human, and the philosophical insights deep. Written in clear and entertaining prose, like a Sherlock Holmes story, this is the best book I know for general readers about the quest to solve one of our most enduring mysteries: how and where, in a seemingly purposeless universe, life began on planet earth.” -- Oren Harman, author of "Evolutions: Fifteen Myths That Explain Our World"

"Marshall knows his stuff. . . . If you have any interest in delving deeper into origin-of-life research, The Genesis Quest makes a fantastic starting point that will give you the lay of the land. It gets my unreserved recommendation." ― Inquisitive Biologist

“The Genesis Quest recounts remarkable episodes in the history of attempts to scientifically understand the origin of life. Combining exceptionally clear expositions of what is scientifically at stake, distinctive humor, and a roving eye for the telling anecdote, this is anything but a tedious scientific genealogy. Marshall has a flair and talent for explaining each individual experiment and its intellectual context. The Genesis Quest offers a well-done romp through some fascinating and complicated terrain.” -- Luis A. Campos, author of "Radium and the Secret of Life"

"Marshall provides an historical review of the search for the origin of life. . . . Marshall's text provides an approachable introduction to how modern science investigates the origin of life, and also offers an interesting window on the lives of the scientists involved. Recommended." ― Choice

“Marshall has rounded up all the past and current thinking about this profound and puzzling question—how did life begin?—into a neat, enthralling, and highly digestible package. He doesn’t pretend we can answer the question, but does justice to all the key proposals so far. And if anything, his survey of potential solutions makes the appearance of life on Earth seem all the more astonishing as we examine the issue ever more closely.” -- Philip Ball, author of "How to Grow a Human: Adventures in How We Are Made and Who We Are"

"The Genesis Quest is a tour-de-force recount of the eclectic effort to understand the origins of life on Earth, authored by science writer Marshall. Here is a tale that spans from prebiotic chemistry to protocells, interlaced with stories of the idiosyncrasies of the scientists involved. It's a union of the sciences—synthetic chemistry, astrobiology, biochemistry, microbiology, ecology. Much like the primordial polymer blob ‘coacervates’ that coalesce into one, discussed early in the book, famous names in science quickly become associated with personality and foibles, putting more than just a face to the names." ― American Society for Microbiology blog, "Small Things Considered"

"The book has many strengths...[it is] enjoyable to read and very informative. Importantly, it will be extremely accessible to a broad audience, including explanations of the most technical biochemical concepts or processes." ― The Quarterly Review of Biology

“The Genesis Quest traces the ongoing efforts of scientists to explain exactly how life first arose on Earth. Marshall introduces the field’s major theories, figures, and controversies.” ― Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Michael Marshall is a science writer interested in life sciences and the environment. He has a BA and MPhil in experimental psychology from the University of Cambridge and an MSc in science communication from Imperial College, London. He has worked as a staff journalist at New Scientist and the BBC. Since 2017 he has been a freelance writer, published by outlets including BBC Future, the Observer, Nature, New Scientist, and the Telegraph. In 2019 he was shortlisted for News Item of the Year by the Association of British Science Writers. He lives in Devon, UK, with his wife and daughter.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B087PLCJWV
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ The University of Chicago Press; First edition (November 20, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 20, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.6 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 345 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 58 ratings

About the author

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Michael Marshall

Michael Marshall

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Michael Marshall is a science writer based in the UK. He has written about everything from evolutionary history and animal behaviour to climate change and natural disasters. His work has been published by the BBC, Forbes, the Observer, Nature, National Geographic, New Scientist, Spectrum and the Telegraph.

His first book, "The Genesis Quest", tells the story of the ongoing struggle to understand how life began on Earth. It is at once a gripping human story and an exploration of some of the most profound ideas in modern science.

Reviews:

"Marshall has rounded up all the past and current thinking about this profound and puzzling question – how did life begin? – into a neat, enthralling and highly digestible package. He doesn't pretend we can answer the question, but does justice to all the key proposals so far. And if anything, his survey of potential solutions makes the appearance of life on Earth seem all the more astonishing as we examine the issue ever more closely."—Philip Ball, author of "How To Grow a Human"

"Prepare yourself for a dazzling intellectual journey: the science is fascinating, the cast of characters all-too-human, and the philosophical insights deep. Written in clear and entertaining prose, like a Sherlock Holmes story, this is the best book I know for general readers about the quest to solve one of our most enduring mysteries: how and where, in a seemingly purposeless universe, life began on planet earth."—Oren Harman, coeditor of "Dreamers, Visionaries, and Revolutionaries in the Life Sciences" and "Outsider Scientists: Routes to Innovation in Biology"

"'The Genesis Quest' recounts remarkable episodes in the history of attempts to scientifically understand the origin of life. Combining exceptionally clear expositions of what is scientifically at stake, distinctive humor, and a roving eye for the telling anecdote, this is anything but a tedious scientific genealogy. Marshall has a flair and talent for explaining each individual experiment and its intellectual context. 'The Genesis Quest' offers a well-done romp through some fascinating and complicated terrain."—Luis A. Campos, author of "Radium and the Secret of Life"

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Stephen-W-B
    5.0 out of 5 stars An awe inspiring review of scientific thinking on the origin of life
    Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2021
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    It is some 20 years since I read Christian de Duve’s ‘Vital Dust’ which set me thinking about the origin of life on earth. However, this book by Michael Marshall far exceeds the earlier work and hits the ball out of the park. It is beautifully written, handling huge concepts with ease. I have read it as a page-turning thriller, and very much enjoyed the ride. It has scholarly notes and an excellent bibliography. Mr. Marshall manages to encompass the whole subject, despite the multiple and often competing theories, giving this reader at least a profound sense of awe. Brilliant!
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Evelyn
    5.0 out of 5 stars history of genetic research
    Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2021
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    This book gives the history of genetic research from start to finish up to this time though there is more research and findings. The long line of scientist and the early years the research started was truly surprising
    and impressive. If you like science and history, then this book will give you all the information.
    10 people found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars History of studies that demonstrated how difficult it is to create life from chemicals
    Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2021
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    The Genesis Quest seeks to show how far scientists have come in generating the building blocks of life in the laboratory. The reality is the book shows how incredibly difficult such a quest is. Whatever theory is proposed and attempted has failed to achieve anything under "natural" conditions. All attempts have used pure chemicals in concentrated solutions which never were available in nature. If you want a book that describes the true impossibility of chemical evolution of life I strongly recommend The Stairway to Life: An Origin of Life Reality Check by Change Laura Tan and Rob Stadler. This takes the reader step by step through each building block needed for life and shows the impossibility of each step occurring by random chemical chance.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Professor Bryan Spinks
    5.0 out of 5 stars Clarity
    Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2021
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    I read tis for some up-to-date information.
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  • Stella
    5.0 out of 5 stars Origin of Life, history and modern concepts
    Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2021
    The Genesis Quest by Michael Marshall (2020) 295 pages, is the scientific story of how we think life began on earth. Once Darwin discovered that all life began from pre-existing cells, the question arose of what gave rise to the very first cell. The nature of the simplest first living matter and how it began forms the subject of Marshalls book.
    It begins with the Operin/Haldane primordial soup hypothesis that simple chemicals in the ancient oceans gave rise to simple organic molecules.
    In 1953 the Miller/Urey experiment demonstrated that amino acids would form in a reducing chemical environment. Miller added water to simulate the oceans and electricity for lightning.
    However in the 1980s the primordial soup hypothesis and experiments were found to have contradictions and lacked evidence. Now scientists began thinking that the first life forms had to have some form of replication with RNA as the major candidate (the RNA world). Even better was that RNA has enzymatic activity called ribozymes. There also had to be metabolism with proteins likely a major candidate.
    Marshall eloquently describes that the first life (LUCA—Last Universal Common Ancestor) was not just one thing, but an ecosystem of genes replicating, metabolism and a membrane bound protocell. These simplest life forms were referred to as coacervates.
    Additionally there is not a hard straight line between the first simplest living things and non living matter.
    Also life most likely began in geothermal ponds rather than deep down in the sea. It was thought that the oceans were too hot then and would quickly destroy any incipient matter..
    I believe that the reader has to demonstrate an interest in this subject and read it taking notes looking up material not clear, I.e., hydrothermal vents. The origin of life is not a hugely mathematical subject and I believe the author describes it well without equations and diagrams. But the reader must do his part as well. I recommend this book to those wanting to learn the latest concepts of how the first life began.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Kenneth Drake
    1.0 out of 5 stars It stinks
    Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2021
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    There's not an equation nor a diagram in this supposedly semi-technical book. I'm appalled that in a discussion of proteins there's no drawing of the structure of even one example -- nor of any RNA There's no drawing of the original Miller apparatus, although it's quite simple. But here's lots on meaningless descriptions and habits of the scientists involved -- a lot of nothing. It's an insult to the intelligence of its readers.
    I got stuck in this book because it was the choice of a book club I belong to. For a decent description of the origin of life, I recommend "Genesis" by Robert Hazen -- although nobody knows how a group of prebiotic chemicals ever got the spark of life, and quite possibly never will.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • J. M. Ferguson
    2.0 out of 5 stars A Lot of Nothing
    Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2022
    You could have read the bullet points of this book on a Wikipedia page. Instead of the concise writing we've come to expect from a science book with any merit this is filled with fluff, assertions without any sort of support, and is boring to boot. Skip this book if you can.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Ben
    1.0 out of 5 stars Arrived damaged
    Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2021
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    The product arrived damaged. I ordered a brand new book specifically so it would be in good condition.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Kindle-klant
    5.0 out of 5 stars Uitstekend en up to date
    Reviewed in the Netherlands on September 8, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Compleet, zeer begrijpelijk, met kennis over het reilen en zeilen van het academisch wereldje (de ego's inclusief), zeer goed gerefereerd, laat alle visies met voor en nadelen aan bod komen. Als extra massa's achtergrondinfo over de betrokken onderzoekers. En met humor. Absoluut aanrader.
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  • Jerry
    5.0 out of 5 stars Broadens your understanding how life could have begun
    Reviewed in Canada on January 16, 2022
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    An excellent read and the relevant information is presented in an engaging and often humorous manner
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  • CDS
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 9, 2021
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    As an ignorant layman I found this to be fascinating, easy to read and understand and overall brilliant. Loved it and loved the authors engaging way of drawing me in to the book. Highly recommend.
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  • Martin Reddington
    5.0 out of 5 stars Superb account of origin of life research
    Reviewed in Germany on September 28, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This is an excellent and readable account of research into the origin of life on earth. It traces ideas from the primordial soup of Oparin and Miller, via theories emphasising proteins, RNA, lipid vesicles and metabolism, to the current synthesis. It is an enthralling story. Thoroughly recommendable.
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