The Seeds of Life

From Aristotle to da Vinci, from Sharks' Teeth to Frogs' Pants, the Long and Strange Quest to Discover Where Babies Come From

De: Edward Dolnick

Narrado por: Ben Sullivan

Why cracking the code of human conception took centuries of wild theories, misogynist blunders, and ludicrous mistakes

Throughout most of human history, babies were surprises. People knew the basics: men and women had sex, and sometimes babies followed. But beyond that the origins of life were a colossal mystery. The Seeds of Life is the remarkable and rollicking story of how a series of blundering geniuses and brilliant amateurs struggled for two centuries to discover where, exactly, babies come from.

Taking a page from investigative thrillers, acclaimed science writer Edward Dolnick looks to these early scientists as if they were detectives hot on the trail of a bedeviling and urgent mystery. These strange searchers included an Italian surgeon using shark teeth to prove that female reproductive organs were not 'failed' male genitalia, and a Catholic priest who designed ingenious miniature pants to prove that frogs required semen to fertilize their eggs.

A witty and rousing history of science, The Seeds of Life presents our greatest scientists struggling-against their perceptions, their religious beliefs, and their deep-seated prejudices-to uncover how and where we come from.

Reseñas de la Crítica

Finalist for the 2017 Kirkus Prize for Nonfiction

"An engaging and exuberant tour through centuries of thought about reproduction."
—Wall Street Journal

"Dolnick weaves a suspenseful tale of discovery, failure and often just plain weirdness while never losing sight of the mystery at hand."
—Scientific America

"As a record of a long biological quest, The Seeds of Life is full of detours, but that structure mimics the nature of scientific progress, illustrating how science is promoted or held back by colorful characters, by state and church intrusion or assistance, never lacking for rivalries and power struggles. Fascinating reading, Dolnick's book should evoke in us a sense of humility rather than amusement at the ignorance of the scientists of old."
—New York Times Book Review

"Full of intriguing anecdotes and colorful historical figures."
—Science Magazine

"Edward Dolnick's absorbing detective story spans outlandish ancient theories on baby-making and the nineteenth-century dawn of embryology, led by pioneers such as Oscar Hertwig."
—Nature

"The Seeds of Life is science-history writing at its very best. It tells a great story that reads like a mystery novel. But Dolnick also uses the story to demonstrate how science advances: through curiosity, brilliant insight, analogy, logic, experimentation, and hard work. Equally, he shows how it can be retarded by unexamined assumptions, ad hominem arguments, misplaced ego, and stubborn adherence to outworn theories."
—Commentary Magazine

"Combining first-class research and a truly delightful writing style, Dolnick shares his fascination with the
history of science and our perception of reproduction in this enlightening and enjoyable read."
—Booklist

"A story with many wrong turns and near misses, skillfully tantalizing modern readers with hints of a great truth obscured by lack of information. [Dolnick] does an excellent job of explaining the critical role that religion played for early modern biologists."
—Library Journal

"A delightful history...[The Seeds of Life is] the best sort of science history, explaining not only how great men made great discoveries, but why equally great men, trapped by prejudices and what seemed to be plain common sense, missed what was in front of their noses."
—Kirkus, starred review

Outrageously entertaining and boldly informative

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. It was excellent from the first chapter to the last.

What other book might you compare The Seeds of Life to and why?

not sure.

Which character – as performed by Ben Sullivan – was your favorite?

Not sure.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Not sure.

Any additional comments?

No.

Very enjoyable and informative!

I loved listening to this book. It was really interesting and peppered with fun stories that made it even more entertaining. If you enjoy history and have any interest at all in biology, you should read this book!

Another engaging book by Mr. Dolnick.

Mr. Dolnick takes us on yet another adventure, from origin to the present in an entirely thorough way, that is accessible to everyone.

Indispensable piece of scientific history

At the conclusive years of my life as a medical man I learned what should have learned during my medical school years as to the investigative history of coming into being and the role of sex sperms and ova! I am immensely I debated of author to put such a pearl for people to devour . Amar

Dolnick books are completely amazing.

David Anderson

This book is enlightening to a degree that unparalleled. The author brings to point the incredible mistakes, misfortunes of scientific investigation about the centuries journey to understand reproduction and how baby’s are made. The book is clever, historical. Sometimes the writing of the early scientists biased positions and how this left them only inches away from the understanding leaves you as a reader kind of stamping on your feet and yelling “it’s right in front of you” to the scientists. Dolnick pauses at vilifying some of them and provides well thought out reason as to why the discovery was missed. Not very good microscopes, the biases mentioned. The book is fascinating. The fact that the final understanding wasn’t completed until I think the book said 1858 leads us on a couple Century journey quest by scientists from many European nations. Incredible book.