Neil Shubin

Ends of the Earth is a cosmic adventure story written in ice. It’s a tale of glaciers that flow like rivers and scientists who fall through crevasses and animals that evolve their own anti-freeze to allow them to thrive in extreme cold. Shubin brings alive some of the harshest and most fragile places on Earth, revealing the exquisite dance of time and physics and biology that created these icy realms and all the creatures that inhabit them, as well as the perils these regions now face in our rapidly-warming world. In the ice, Shubin has discovered the story of our time.

For me, as a theoretical physicist who works at his desk with coffee always nearby, Neil Shubin’s brand of science is exhilarating, scary, and a bit alien. But adventuring to forbidding climes teaches us amazing things about our Earth and life on it. We’re fortunate to have such a gifted writer on the scene to bring back these stories.

In the hands of an expert storyteller and brilliant biologist, the topics of ice and the polar regions becomes a fast-moving, fascinating book that combines travelogue and natural science discovery. From encountering the arctic wooly bear caterpillars and hearty tardigrades to polar fish that manufacture their own ‘anti-freeze,’ I found Ends of the Earth to be a delightful and compelling read.

Ends of the Earth is a gripping tale of polar exploration, from a scientist and science writer of the highest caliber. A veteran of fossil-hunting expeditions at both poles, Neil Shubin writes with such warmth about an icy subject. Come for the adventure but stay for the science, as Shubin’s captivating storytelling will give you a new appreciation for some of the harshest and most mysterious places on Earth.

Intimate and thoughtful . . . Exciting . . . [A] sweeping evolutionary history . . . One of the book’s best features is a 30-page notes section at the end, in which each note could be fodder for an entire volume. These notes are separated by chapter, and many tell a short, engaging story, often accompanied by annotated suggestions for further reading. Readers will want to peruse this section and follow up on some of those readings.

A rollicking ride . . . It’s light of touch, anecdote-rich and funny . . . satisfyingly informative . . . Fossils, DNA, scientists with a penchant for suits of armour—what’s not to love?

Another winner from Dr. Shubin, who skillfully and thoughtfully steers us through the incredibly fascinating world of DNA and fossils. Dr. Shubin’s clear and engaging writing rewards us with a deeper understanding of how all life on our planet is interconnected. Steeped in the paradigm of evolutionary theory, he inspires us to think more deeply about our connectedness with the natural world. Charles Darwin would applaud Dr. Shubin’s clear explanations and insightful rendering of the incontrovertible evidence for the evolution of all life on planet Earth.

A pleasure to read . . . The exposition is clear enough to be followed by readers without background scientific training, but the range of topics discussed, the choice of illustrative details, and the historical and biographical background are such that I would expect even experts to find much in this book to inform and delight. The endnotes, as well as providing leading references and background material of interest to those who wish to dig deeper, add numerous interesting details worthy of the attention of any reader.

Neil Shubin has been one of my favorite science communicators ever since I took his undergraduate anatomy course. In this ambitious and readable book, Shubin blends his own research, epic tales from the history of science, and the latest discoveries in paleontology and genetics to tackle some of the biggest mysteries of evolution. This is an engrossing account from a scientific storyteller at the height of his talents.

Shubin is a brilliant scientist storyteller—an eloquent narrator, who draws you into his rich, evolving world of walking fish and mutant flies, prehistoric birds and precocious biologists. Part adventure, part mystery, with twists and turns you couldn’t make up if you tried, Some Assembly Required is an irresistible read!

Through tales of remarkable creatures, and some even more remarkable people who study them, Neil Shubin unravels the mystery at the heart of evolution—how nature invents. From bacteria to brains, fish lungs to ballistic salamander tongues, Shubin decodes the surprising origins of the marvelous gadgets that have driven the riot of life’s diversity.”

He has done it again. Shubin gives us an insightful, fun, and authoritative look at the big story of life and its major transformations. In Some Assembly Required, one encounters curious scientists, surprising histories and a clear sense of the ways in which a diversity of scientific perspectives provides a richer view of life than could any one perspective on its own. This terrific book is new and exciting enough to engage a biology professor (Rob) and clear and engaging enough to fascinate a high school student (Olivia). We couldn’t put it down (or rather, one of us would put it down for a minute only to have the other pick it up).

Enjoyable . . . Eloquent . . . This superb primer brings the intellectual excitement of the scientific endeavor to life in a way that both educates and entertains.

A welcome new exploration of the evolution of human and animal life on Earth . . . Shubin explores it with his characteristic enthusiasm and clarity . . . A fascinating wild ride.

Exhilarating . . . [Shubin] is one of the best.