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Observing Evolution: Peppered Moths and the Discovery of Parallel Melanism
£51.50
The extraordinary tale of the humble peppered moth is at the very foundation of our acceptance of Darwinian evolution. When scientists in the early twentieth century discovered that a British population of the small Biston betularia had rapidly changed in its appearance as a result of the industrial revolution-becoming black in response to its newly sooty environment over the course of mere decades-the revelation cemented Darwin’s theory of natural selection. This story was the staple example of “natural selection in action” until the turn of the millennium, when proponents of Creationism fomented doubts about the experimental methods employed. In the midst of this upheaval, scientist Bruce S. Grant was busy collaborating with respected contemporaries to build a dataset that would ultimately vindicate the theory of industrial melanism in the peppered moth and, by extension, the theory of natural selection itself.
Observing Evolution tells the remarkable story of his work. Focusing on the little-known but enormously important research of biologists who tested the theory of natural selection after Darwin, Grant describes the historical foundations of research on the peppered moth, then explains how he and his collaborators were able to push this famous study forward. He details how his experiments were designed and conducted, painting a picture of the personalities, events, and adventures around the world that shaped his successes-and struggles. The story culminates with his discovery that peppered moth populations separated by the Atlantic mirrored each other strikingly in terms of the “rise and fall” of melanism, settling a major scientific controversy by documenting nature’s repeat experiment.
Observing Evolution is a crash course in natural selection and the history of evolutionary biology for anyone interested in Darwin’s legacy. It’s also a fascinating read for scientists interested in the bridge between the first efforts to count moths and the sophisticated DNA sequencing and statistical modeling that continue to reveal how these tiny organisms can carry such enormous implications.
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Highly recommended. —Malcolm Peaker, Zoology Jottings Grant's writing is accessible, his explanations of complex science easily digestible, and he is full of genuinely amusing stories. If you ever doubted the validity of this iconic example of rapid evolution, Observing Evolution will set you straight. —Natural History Bookshop For others who simply enjoy a good scientific detective story, this is among the best. —British Journal of Entomology and Natural History In this engaging book, Grant documents the places he went and the extraordinary people he met, on this quest to understand parts of the peppered moth story that did not quite add up. —James Mallet, Harvard University, Evolution Highly recommended for all biology students, especially those interested in entomology and evolutionary biology...It's a real treat to read about some of the giants of entomological research. —Andrew Wakeham-Dawson, Entomologist's Monthly Magazine Provides a rare, unfiltered glimpse into what doing science is actually like....For Grant, the process of becoming an authority on peppered moths was a truly ground-up affair that began unplanned, with nothing more than a question. To begin working with Biston, he needed to step outside of what, at the time, was his well-defined scientific comfort zone of lab-based research....On a fundamental level, this book reveals that there's an art to doing science. —Richard Gawne, Tufts University, Journal of Experimental Zoology: Molecular and Developmental Evolution Fascinating...Grant's story is both personal and engaging...His book presents a validation of natural selection data plus a critical assessment of speculation over 50 years in a gripping personal science adventure story. —Stephen J. O'Brien, Journal of Heredity This book chronicles Grant's efforts to wrestle with details of the operation of natural selection in wild populations of widely geographically separated species of the peppered moth....Grant is a good writer and a great storyteller....[He] is clearly devoted to the scientific process, and wide open to his research subjects showing him something completely unexpected. —The American Biology Teacher Perhaps what is most special about Grant's chronicle is the passion with which he writes about scientific practice. His love of biology shines through, and it is quite contagious. —History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences [Grant] beautifully describes how science works and what it is like to be a practicing evolutionary scientist. I recommend his book to all readers, but especially to students. I cannot think of another volume that might be as great an inspiration. —Douglas J. Futuyma, Quarterly Review of Biology
Author Biography
Bruce S. Grant is Emeritus Professor of biology at the College of William & Mary.Related products
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