The Demon in the Machine

How does life create order from chaos? And just what is life, anyway?Leading physicist Paul Davies argues that to find the answers, we must first answer a deeper question: ‘What is information?’ To understand the origins and nature of life, Davies proposes a radical vision of biology which sees the underpinnings of life as similar to circuits and electronics, arguing that life as we know it should really be considered a phenomenon of information storage. In an extraordinary deep dive into the real mechanics of what we take for granted, Davies reveals how biological processes, from photosynthesis to birds’ navigation abilities, rely on quantum mechanics, and explores whether quantum physics could prove to be the secret key of all life on Earth.Lively and accessible, Demons in the Machine boils down intricate interdisciplinary developments to take readers on an eye-opening journey towards the ultimate goal of science: unifying all theories of the living and the non-living, so that humanity can at last understand its place in the universe.

Reviews of The Demon in the Machine

Praise for The Origin of Life: One of a handful of first-rate scientists who are popular writers. If you are going to read only one book on the origin of life, seriously consider this one * The New York Times * Davies succeeds not only in being provocative and controversial, but in maintaining the rigorous scientific approach of the physicist… a classic example of how to present a scientific case, and an insight into the way good scientists work — John Gribbin * Independent *