Seventy years ago, Erwin Schrodinger posed a profound question: 'What is life, and how did it emerge from non-life?' This problem has puzzled biologists and physical scientists ever since. Living things are hugely complex and have unique properties, such as self-maintenance and apparently purposeful behaviour which we do not see in inert matter. So how does chemistry give rise to biology? What could have led the first replicating molecules up such a path? Now, developments in the emerging fie...

The 40th anniversary edition of the million copy international bestseller, with a new epilogue from the author. As relevant and influential today as when it was first published, this classic exposition of evolutionary thought, widely hailed for its stylistic brilliance and deep scientific insights, stimulated whole new areas of research.

Consciousness, 'the last great mystery for science', remains a hot topic. How can a physical brain create our experience of the world? What creates our identity? Do we really have free will? Could consciousness itself be an illusion? Exciting new developments in brain science are continuing the debates on these issues, and the field has now expanded to include biologists, neuroscientists, psychologists, and philosophers. This controversial book clarifies the potentially confusing arguments, a...

Study and Communication Skills for the Chemical Sciences has been carefully designed to help students transition seamlessly from school to university, make the most of their education, and ultimately use their degree to enhance their employability. The accessible and friendly writing style helps to engage students with the subject while frequent chemical examples highlight the relevance of the skills being learned. A comprehensive range of skills are covered, from making the most of practical...

European Intellectual Property Law offers a full account of the main areas of substantive European intellectual property law - including the law of copyright and related rights, patents and plant variety rights, trademarks, design rights, and rights in data and information.

Respected as the definitive textbook on the subject, this is the stand-alone guide to EU law. The world-renowned authors offer the ideal balance of commentary, key cases, and materials to provide the most authoritative coverage and analysis.

Inspiring and motivating students from the moment it published, Organic Chemistry has established itself in just one edition as the students' choice of organic chemistry text. Its explanatory, mechanistic, evidence-based approach makes it perfect for fostering a true understanding of the subject.

The politics of food is changing fast. In rich countries, obesity is now a more serious problem than hunger. Consumers once satisfied with cheap and convenient food now want food that is also safe, nutritious, fresh, and grown by local farmers using fewer chemicals.

Heavily subsidized and underregulated commercial farmers are facing stronger push back from environmentalists and consumer activists, and food companies are under the microscope. Meanwhile, agriculturalsuccess in Asia has spurred ...

Corporate social responsibility has been defined as 'the responsibility of enterprises for their impacts on society'. Is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) just window dressing or is it a contradiction in terms? In this Very Short Introduction, Jeremy Moon shows that CSR holds much more value than it first appears, and shows how it has come of age in recent years. Illustrating the sorts of CSR investments companies make, the ways in which they practice CSR, and the challenges this brings, ...

In this new edition of the Very Short Introduction to Journalism, Ian Hargreaves considers the role and place of journalism in our constantly evolving digital world. Exploring issues relating to privacy, democracy, the entertainment industry, and global social media, Hargreaves explores the shape and influence of journalism in years to come.