The invisible world of microbes--capable of surviving in the most harsh and inhospitable conditions on earth--reveals the remarkable potential and resilience of life itself. John Postgate's fascinating exploration of these outer reaches of life shows how understanding microbes can provide new clues to the origin and evolution of terrestrial life, and offers glimpses of how life might have established itself elsewhere in the Universe. In the process, it raises profound questions about death, sensation and individuality, and insights into the nature of scientific progress. The feats of modern...

The fixation of nitrogen--the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen to a form that plants can use--is fundamental to the productivity of the biosphere and therefore to the ability of the expanding human population to feed itself. Although the existence and importance of the process of biological nitrogen fixation has been recognized for more than a century, scientific advances over the past few decades have radically altered our understanding of its nature and mechanisms. This book provides an introductory-level survey of biological nitrogen fixation, covering the role of the process in the...