Where Did I Come From? British Author Discusses 'The Great Inventions of Life'

Who:  British author and scientist Nick Lane, Ph.D., of University College London

What:  Rutgers Distinguished Lecture on “The Great Invention of Life”

Where:  Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Special Events Forum, 33 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick, NJ

When:  7 p.m., Tuesday, October 20, 2009. The lecture will be followed by a reception  and book signing.

Why: With evolution in the headlines these days, such as AP’s story last week on new revelations regarding the first human being (“Before Lucy Came Ardi; New Earliest Hominid Found”) and the celebrations of the 150th anniversary of Darwin’s “Origin of the Species,” the spotlight is now on Nick Lane, a British biochemist and popular author, whose new book – Life Ascending: The Ten Great Inventions of Evolution – has garnered five-star reviews from professionals and bloggers alike.

Nick combines British wit and hard science to elaborate in a most entertaining manner on the evolution of mankind and the planet. His previous books, Oxygen (2002) and Power, Sex, and Suicide (2005) were each named one of the “Books of the Year” by The Sunday London Times and The Economist, respectively. He has been described by Nobel Laureate Frank Wilczek as “a writer who’s not afraid to think big – and think hard.”

Come join Rutgers Office of the Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs, the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at this special event.

Admission is free, but reservations are a must. Call 732-932-2000, extension 4211 or email discovery@aesop.rutgers.edu.