1. Learning from life on Earth in the present day; 2. Essentials of fungal cell biology; 3. First, make a habitat; 4. The building blocks of life; 5. An extraterrestrial origin of life?; 6. Endogenous synthesis of prebiotic organic compounds on the young Earth; 7. Cooking the recipe for life; 8. 'It's life, Jim…'; 9. Coming alive: what happened and where?; 10. My name is LUCA; 11. Towards eukaryotes; 12. Rise of the fungi; 13. Emergence of diversity; References; Index.
A unique account of life's evolution using the most recent research and weaving evolution of fungi into evolution of eukaryotes.
David Moore is an Honorary Reader in the Faculty of Life Sciences at the University of Manchester. Having recently retired after 43 years researching and teaching genetics and mycology, his ongoing research activities include computer programs simulating fungal growth and differentiation, and genomic data mining. In recent years he has created the educational websites www.fungi4schools.org (sponsored by the British Mycological Society) and www.davidmoore.org.uk. He is co-author of the 21st Century Guidebook to Fungi (Cambridge University Press, 2011).
'In a wonderful introduction to this wide and exciting subject, and
ensuring accessibility to non-specialist readers, key features of
fungal biology are introduced, as is current thinking on the
beginnings of the solar system, the formation of the Earth and its
Moon, and the possible origins of the building blocks of life,
including panspermia, the ET origin of life on earth. Central in
this thought provoking book is a consideration of the definition of
what is life, from the philosophical to the rigidly scientific.
This definition is key to deciding on what was LUCA, the last
universal common ancestor. Current views on this are well reviewed,
critically analysed and dissected. A fascinating read, a
myco-centric version of the origin of the eukaryotes, firmly
dismissing the animal biased theories.' J. L. Faull, Birkbeck,
University of London
'Fungi and animals share a deep Precambrian root from which our
unicellular ancestors diverged more than one billion years ago.
This common beginning is evident when we look at similarities
between fungus and animal at the level of genes and proteins, as
well as the grander disjunction between both groups of eukaryotes
and every other form of life on earth. Mycologist David Moore
details the evolutionary history of the fungi in his new book and
its relationship to the origins and subsequent development of life
on land. This rich and compelling story provides a crucial
mycological perspective on some of the biggest questions in modern
biology.' Nicholas Money, Miami University, Ohio
'Why are fungi ignored when theorists ponder the origins of life on
Earth? This book provides a refreshing mycological perspective on
this fascinating question. Moore presents well-supported arguments
for the origin and emergence of life on this planet. This quite
accessible book will change many a mind on this topic.' Adele
Kleine, chicagobotanic.org
'In this new and challenging book, David [Moore] aims to place
fungi centre-stage in the origin and evolution of life … carefully
researched and argued … original and stimulating thesis.' IMA
Fungus
'This wonderful, refreshing take on origins-of-life studies reviews
the present state of affairs, including the missing elements of
fungal biology. Every biologist in this field needs to read this
book. Moore provides a highly intelligent and reasoned assessment
of the role of fungal biology in the discussion of the origins and
early evolution of life on Earth. Highly recommended.' P. K.
Strother, Choice
'… pitched at a level where a very wide range of readers should
feel rewarded by the many sage views clearly expressed, and the
fair-handed discussions of multiple conflicting hypotheses about
the subject matter … This volume is particularly recommended to
those mycologists who focus on issues of fungal phylogeny.' Richard
A. Humber, The Quarterly Review of Biology
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