This anthology contains extracts from more than 60 scientific papers, by authors such as Stephen Jay Gould, Richard Dawkins, Francis Crick and Jacques Monod. It starts with Charles Darwin, but concentrates on modern research, including genomics. The extracts are organized in sections, enabling the reader to sample a range of views on each topic, and have been chosen for their readability as well as their scientific importance.

Ridley concentrates on understanding Darwin's most important books, On the Origin of Species and The Descent of Man, but he also examines a sample from one of Darwin's other works on the emotions, as one representative from Darwin's lesser-known works that ranged from flower pollination to coral reefs, from animal domestication to landscaping by earthworms.

Mark Ridley's Evolution has become the premier undergraduate text in the study of evolution. Readable and stimulating, yet well-balanced and in-depth, this text tells the story of evolution, from the history of the study to the most revent developments in evolutionary theory.

The third edition of this successful textbook features updates and extensive new coverage. The sections on adaptation and diversity have been reorganized for improved clarity and flow, and a completely updated section on the evolution of sex and the inclusion of more plant examples have all helped to...

Charles Darwin's permanent legacy is his broad, abstract theories of evolution and natural selection, theories which he tested against an array of natural history evidence in his writing.