The Major Transitions in Evolution

The Major Transitions in Evolution is a book written by John Maynard Smith and Eörs Szathmáry (Oxford University Press, 1995). This was a seminal publication that continues to contribute to ongoing issues in evolutionary biology. At the time of its publication, Egbert Giles Leigh, Jr reviewing for Evolution commented that it "may be the most important book on evolution since [R.A.] Fisher's (1930) The Genetical Theory of Natural Selection".

Maynard Smith and Szathmary authored a review article in Nature

Maynard Smith and Szathmáry identified several properties common to the transitions:

As stated by the authors, this book was aimed at professional biologists and assumes considerable prior knowledge. They have also published a presentation of their ideas for a general readership under the title The Origins of Life — From the Birth of Life to the Origins of Language.

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