The Hard Parts of Life
[[POSTPONED]]
The Hard Parts of Life
The Hard Parts of Life is a book about the crystals that living things make to survive: things like phytoliths, shells, and bones. I have compiled interviews with experts about how these crystals––called biominerals––form and what we can learn from them, from understanding past environments and what life might look like on other planets to revolutionizing materials and medicine.
In this book, you'll learn about personal stories of scientists, how they came into science, and the science they do. You'll hear stories such as...
Dr. Hannah Carroll’s and Dr. Dan Ibarra’s, who tell us about why biominerals and knowing about the past is important for informing climate predictions.
Dr. Joby Hollis’s, who tells about how understanding biominerals—and how organic material gets trapped inside them—can aid us in the search for extraterrestrial life.
Dr. Ronke Olabisi’s, who teaches us about how bones form and how studying pearl can inform regenerative medicine.
You will love this book if you are interested in science, want to know more about some of the people who do it, and are curious about the worlds both inside and around you.