Life. A natural history of the first four billion years of life on Earth / Жизнь. Естественная история первых четырех миллиардов лет жизни на Земле

This book would not have been as it is without the trenchant editing of Heather Godwin, nor without the punctilious attentions of Stuart Proffitt. I owe them both a great debt. I sincerely thank Robin Cocks and Neale Monks for acting as scientific readers, and for commenting on sundry facts. Claire Mellish kindly drew two of the diagrams. I particularly thank Chris Stringer, Theya Molleson and Robert Kruszynski for anthropological advice. Many friends and colleagues helped me by providing illustrations and advice (they carry no responsibility if I did not heed the latter). These include: Stefan Bengtson, Per Ahlberg, Cedric Shute, Paul Cornelius, Angela Milner, Bill Schopf, John Richardson, Brian Rosen, Phil Palmer, Jerry Hooker, Giles Miller, Joyce Pope, Andrew Ross, Sally Young, Alison Longbottom, John Whittaker, Clive Jones, Richard Thomas, Peter Forey, Sandy Knapp, Charlotte Jeffery, Jeremy Young, Solene Morris, Andy Gale, Norman MacLeod, Anthony Sutcliffe, Harry Taylor, Bob Bloomfield and Tracey Elliott. I acknowledge the Palaeontological Association for reproduction of a conodont animal. Hamish Francis kindly read the proofs. Finally I thank my family for tolerating my eighteen months’ exile in the boxroom in the company of the snake <...>