In the 19th century, biologists established that all living organisms-from animals and plants to algae and fungi-are composed of cells. Around the same time, Charles Darwin introduced his theory of evolution, proposing that all life on Earth shares a common origin. Today, the scientific community has defined that origin as LUCA: the last universal common ancestor.
This is the story of how LUCA-the ancestral cell-emerged billions of years ago and gave rise to the vast diversity of life-forms we see today. Blending art with science, biologist Christian Sardet explores the tiny structures and life-giving functions of DNA, RNA, and proteins; examines the mysteries of reproduction, aging, and death; and offers a novel answer to the immortal question, "What is life?"
Life is a social network of cells.