Biocivilisations: A New Look at the Science of Life

Slijepc evic , a biologist at Brunel University London, debuts with an undercooked treatise urging readers to reconsider “humanity’s distorted views of the biological world and our so-called planetary dominance.” He argues that plants, microbes, and nonhuman animals have their own forms of intelligence, communication, and memory, noting, for example, that bacteria can communicate via chemical and electrical signals. Suggesting that many of the abilities humans believe elevate the species above others are exhibited elsewhere in the natural world, he posits that the “ornamental circles” created by male white-spotted puffer fish to impress females constitute art and relates that ants keep aphids as livestock, harvesting their honeydew and protecting them from predators. The author often skimps on explaining his evidence, as when he argues that plants communicate via organic compounds but neglects to describe how or what kinds of messages they send. Additionally, he attributes an agency and intention to nature—in the form of Gaia, the “principal authority” of life—that is more spiritual than scientific: “The intelligence of biocivilisations is judged by Gaia, not us.” A few stimulating tidbits about the surprising abilities of plants and animals are largely overshadowed by inadequate scientific background and obtuse philosophical digressions, as when he dives deep into Heidegger’s writings on what constitutes technology. This doesn’t quite come together. (May)