Solving the Equations of Life

Wilco Verberk

Solving the Equations of Life

Authors

Wilco Verberk

Keywords:

Oxygen, Temperature, Body Size, Cell Size, Ecological Periodic Table

Synopsis

Solving the equations of life takes the reader on a journey alongside three seemingly simple but fundamental protagonists of life: temperature, oxygen, and size. Each of these elements reveals a core principle of biology, from the near-exponential influence of temperature on the rate of living, to the pivotal role of oxygen in the evolution of complex life, and the continuous balancing act that shapes organismal body size.
Insights from laboratory experiments are connected to patterns observed in nature and milestones in the evolution of life, such as the emergence of photosynthesis, the Cambrian explosion, and mass extinction events, are woven together with the aim of classifying species, themselves different answers to the “equations of life” into an ecological periodic table.
This book offers an inspiring blend of science, storytelling, and synthesis, aimed at both specialists and a broadly curious audience.

Author Biography

Wilco Verberk

Wilco Verberk (1976, Oploo) is Professor of Functional Ecology at Radboud University. He studied biology in Nijmegen and then worked at Stichting Bargerveen on peat bog restoration. There, he completed his PhD alongside this regular work. As a postdoc, he worked in Plymouth (UK), before returning to Nijmegen as a lecturer. He investigates how temperature and oxygen shape life. Integrating ecology, physiology, and evolution, his work is widely recognized, as evidenced by major awards, including an NWO VIDI grant and the Dutch Zoology Prize. Next to these academic accomplishments, he holds a special position as father of Saar (2005), Toon (2007), Guus (2010) and Koos (2014).