A (VERY) SHORT HISTORY OF LIFE ON EARTH 4.6 Billion Years in 12 Pithy Chapters

Once past the earth's geophysical origins and the eventual rise of single-cell organisms, paleontologist Henry Gee presents a pithy, fascinating account of the stages of biological evolution. He's a deliberate, engaged narrator whose slow pacing will require adaptation. This and creative background music and sound effects (dinosaur sounds?) create a meditative and friendly listening experience. From spineless water creatures and egg-laying reptiles to mammals and the great apes, the concise details associated with each evolutionary advance give this audiobook a generous texture. Highlights include the author's lucid descriptions of how functional advances in sensory physiology improved the way mammals interacted with the world and each other--information that makes the entire process sound even more improbable and miraculous. T.W. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2022]