Microcosm: E-coli and The New Science of Life
Format: hardcover
ISBN:
9780434016242 (0434016241)
Publish date: July 3rd 2008
Publisher: William Heinemann
Pages no: 256
Edition language: English
Category:
Non Fiction,
History,
Literature,
Science,
Popular Science,
20th Century,
Biology,
Medical,
Modern,
Evolution,
Genetics
Microcosm is a history of E. coli but more than that, it’s a history of modern biology. So much of what we do in the lab today depends on these little bacteria that looking at biology through the lens of E. coli lends itself well to discussing almost all of modern microbiology. It also includes a fe...
Referenced in an article by Zimmer in BBC Knowledge magazine about Richard's Lenski's work with E.coli bacteria. He set up 12 identical lines in separate flasks 21 years ago and then watched them evolve. Some really interesting stuff happened including one line's ability to use citrate for sustenan...
Zimmer writes clearly and well. I've been reading his blog for some time and was glad to pick this up when it came out. It's a huge subject, and Zimmer does a fine job of giving enough information about many facets of the science happening around E. coli without swamping one in data. He's engaging a...