The book is a detailed account of major biological events that contributed to create the present world and our species, with emphasis on cause-effect interrelationships and environmental impact. Its main goal is to guide the reader toward an understanding of the continuity of life across diversity, and of its large-scale interactions with the planet. Combining scientific soundness with a constant effort for clarity, the book begins with a cloud of dust in a corner of the Galaxy and, covering an immense lapse of time, terminates with an organism that ponders about the texture of the Universe. Comprehensive, updated references added to each chapter will help the reader wishing to expand any of the topics. A glossary explains less common technical terms.

Chapter 1. Introduction

Chapter 2. The Origins
Chapter 3. The Birth of Life
Chapter 4. Moving to the Light: The Evolution of Photosynthesis
Chapter 5. The Great Oxygenation. - Chapter 6. Eukaryotes
Chapter 7. Sexual Reproduction
Chapter 8. Multicellularity
Chapter 9. The Chloroplast and Photosynthetic Eukaryotes
Chapter 10. The Animals
Chapter 11. Land Plants
Chapter 12. The Emergence of Humanity
Chapter 13. Synopsis
Chapter 14. Glossary
Chapter 15. Analytic Index.