In the Blink of an Eye

Overview

Using evidence from the Cambrian epoch, the author argues that the evolution of sight quickened the development of species and their fight for survival

The Cambrian explosion is the "big bang" of evolution—a period of less than five million years during which life on Earth rapidly developed both armaments and defenses. Animals suddenly became both hunters and the hunted, and the number of animal groups with hard body parts mushroomed from three to 38. But why did the explosion happen when it did? Ground-breaking and accessible, this book unravels the evidence demonstrating that this was the period when the eye evolved, leading to an evolutionary scramble for survival.

Reviews

"Parker tackles one of biology's biggest mysteries in this nontechnical account . . . .  In readable prose, Parker provides detailed information on the fossil record as well as a wealth of interesting material on the role light plays in environments and how vision operates across a host of species." —Publishers Weekly

"[Parker's] clarity will thrill science fans, as will his revolutionary theory." —Booklist

"A well-written book, containing much really interesting science and a good strong hypothesis." —Washington Post Book World

Author Biography

Andrew Parker is a Royal Society Research Fellow in the Department of Zoology at Oxford University and the author of The Genesis Enigma.