Explaining Life Through Evolution

• Chakrabarty connects evolutionary science with questions that matter in everyday life. The book explores mutation, ancestry, genetics, race, sex, gender and sexuality, while also discussing the limitations and implications of modern ancestry-testing services. It presents life as an ever-changing story in which every species is connected through an enormous evolutionary Tree of Life.

• Prosanta Chakrabarty is an evolutionary biologist, professor and curator at Louisiana State University. He is a systematist and ichthyologist whose research focuses on the evolution and biogeography of fishes. He has described numerous new species and published extensively in the scientific literature. He is also a TED Senior Fellow, Fulbright Distinguished Chair and Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The book takes readers from the earliest history of life to the extraordinary diversity of species living today. Chakrabarty explains major evolutionary ideas in an accessible manner and uses the Tree of Life to show how humans are connected to other living organisms, extinct relatives and ancient ancestors. He also considers contemporary questions surrounding genetics and ancestry tests, encouraging readers to understand both their scientific meaning and their social implications.