Darwin and the Barnacle by Rebecca Stott

Darwin and the Barnacle by Rebecca Stott

A scientific detective story that illuminates the remarkable saga of Darwin's greatest achievement. Pairing Charles Darwin and a rare species of barnacle as her unlikely protagonists, Rebecca Stott has written an absorbing work of history that guides readers through the treacherous shoals of nineteenth-century biology. Beginning her scientific detective story in the 1820s, even before Darwin's Beagle voyage, Stott examines the mystery of why Darwin waited over two decades between formulating his pivotal theory of natural selection and publishing it. Lavishly illustrated, filled with riddles and concepts that challenge our notion of Victorian science, Darwin and the Barnacle is a thrilling account of how genius proceeds through indirection—and how one small item of curiosity contributed to history's most spectacular scientific breakthrough.

"Stott is skillful with many of the thematic connections here and her narration is exciting, gripping and addictively readable" -- Scarlett Thomas - Independent on Sunday
"This is that rare book that sweeps you on from the first few pages...a brilliant performance." -- Roy Herbert - New Scientist
"A spellbinding story, intricate and beautifully told." -- James Moore, co-author of Darwin

Rebecca Stott is a writer, academic, and radio broadcaster. She is an affiliated scholar in the Department of History and Philosophy of Science at Cambridge University.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780393325713
ISBN 10	0393325717
Title	Darwin and the Barnacle
Author	Rebecca Stott
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	WW Norton & Co
Year published	2004-05-28
Number of pages	336
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.