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Description of  Nature Fast and Nature Slow: How Life Works, from Fractions of a Second to Billions of Years

This book offers a vision of biology set within the entire timescale of the universe. It is about the timing of life, from microsecond movements to evolutionary changes over millions of years. Human consciousness is riveted to seconds, but a split-second time delay in perception means that we are unaware of anything until it has already happened. We live in the very recent past. Hearts beat every second or so. Over longer timescales, this book examines the lifespans of the oldest organisms, prospects for the extension of human life, the evolution of whales and turtles, and the explosive beginning of life 4 billion years ago. With its poetic language, social commentary, and humor, this book will appeal to everyone interested in the natural world.