A powerful exploration of the machinery of life and the 'gigantic infinitesimal' world of the microorganisms essential for the survival of our ecosystem. In this beautifully written book, Forbes restores microbes to their rightful place in the history - and, importantly, the future - of our planet. A must for any science-savvy or science-curious reader. * Alice Sherwood, author of Authenticity: Reclaiming reality in a counterfeit culture * A fascinating account of both the deep-time evolution of life on our planet and how microbes have moulded the world we live in. This is the gripping story of how the tiniest creatures can have the mightiest effects, and offer hope for solving some of the gravest problems of climate change today. * Prof. Lewis Dartnell, author of Being Human: How our Biology Shaped World History * The book's intellectual range is impressive ... a tone that's accessible without oversimplifying the underlying concepts. * Nature *
