Discovering Life on Earth by David Attenborough
"Discovering Life on Earth" by David Attenborough is a condensed exploration of the diversity of animal life, aimed primarily at younger readers. This book serves as a simplified version of a thirteen-part television series, guiding readers through the evolution of the animal kingdom. Starting from the simplest one-celled organisms, it traces the development of increasingly complex life forms, encompassing significant milestones such as the emergence of terrestrial animals and the conquest of aquatic environments.
The narrative unfolds through chapters that cover a range of topics, including the first forests, the emergence of insects and birds, and the dynamics of predator-prey relationships. The book culminates with an examination of human origins, exploring the lifestyle of early humans and their environment over five million years ago. Accompanied by over five hundred color photographs and illustrations, "Discovering Life on Earth" enhances understanding of the intricate relationships among different species and their habitats.
The text is structured to foster curiosity in readers, encouraging them to explore the vast field of zoology further, while also providing a useful reference for those interested in specific animals and their behaviors. Attenborough's engaging storytelling and visual elements make this book an accessible introduction to the complexities of life on Earth.
On this Page
Discovering Life on Earth by David Attenborough
First published: 1979; illustrated
Subjects: Animals, nature, and science
Type of work: Science
Recommended Ages: 10-15
Form and Content
Approaching the diversity of animal life on Earth from a natural history and natural selection approach, David Attenborough provides a compact overview of what his first chapter calls “The Endless Variety.” Discovering Life on Earth is referred to as a “shorter, simplified text” version of the thirteen-part television series on which it is based. Through the thirteen chapters of this book, the reader follows the development of the animal kingdom as illustrated by stories about increasingly complex organisms and their interrelationships with the various facets of their environment.
Simple, one-celled organisms begin the story and lead the reader into the fossil record of the earliest lifeforms. From there, the text progresses through the first forests and the animals that constituted the planet’s first inhabitants. Attenborough then moves on to “The Conquest of the Waters” by aquatic organisms both great and small. From there, the emergence of complex lifeforms onto the lands of the earth is described. Insects, birds, marsupials, then predators and prey—all major groups of animals are considered, along with some of the less well known representatives that occupy specialized niches in the earth’s vastly complex communities.
The chronicle of life on Earth concludes with “The Arrival of Mankind.” In this chapter, the author describes the emergence of humankind on the African plains more than five million years ago, the lifestyle that these individuals are thought to have had, and the animals found in the environment in which they lived. The manner of evolution from ape to modern Homo sapiens is hypothesized, and some of the artifacts of humankind’s history on Earth are described and illustrated. In concluding this chapter, the lifestyles of modern aboriginal peoples, which may be similar to those of humankind’s earlier ancestors, are described.
Generously supplied color photographs (more than five hundred in number) and illustrations are found throughout the book, often three or more per page. These graphics fulfill an important function, and each provides a caption relating the image to the content within the text. In addition, several time lines are provided. These charts help the reader develop an understanding of the appearance and disappearance of important animal groups throughout geologic ages, and they provide a relative means of comparing when various lifeforms lived on the earth. Artistic renderings of what life may have looked like in the ancient coal forests, under the ancient seas, and in the times of the dinosaurs are also included.
Critical Context
Discovering Life on Earth demonstrates to the reader that zoology is a fascinating, diverse, and complex science. Attenborough has done a commendable job of condensing his thirteen-week television series into a book that can be comprehended by young readers. His approach to natural history—in which specific, isolated examples of behaviors within the animal kingdom are described and illustrated—can be criticized for being scattered. Yet, it can be argued that the amount of information available on this subject is too vast to present in its entirety in a way that would engage young readers.
Given Attenborough’s intention, the flow of the subject matter and the coherence among the chapters are commendable. Discovering Life on Earth delivers a large number of interesting stories and examples that should inspire young readers to keep reading, to seek other sources in order to learn more about animal behaviors and relationships. The text is useful both as an entire volume and as a reference work on specific animals, animal behaviors, and the diversity within the animal kingdom.