mitochondria 186, 240–1, 398
MK-D1 215–18, 221
models and modelling 47–55
molecules 66, 93
formation of 6, 97, 99–100, 393
in human body 4–5
reactivity 121–2
money 287–8
monogamy 315
moon 63, 66, 415
asteroid and meteorite impacts 146
formation of 8, 146, 197
importance to life 394–5
and tidal forces 146
moon landings 371–2
morality, evolutionary explanations 408–11
motivations 286–7
movement, evolution of 293–4
mRNA vaccines 99
M-theory 84
multicellular life
appearance of 242–7
arise of 244–6, 397–8
benefits 246
chemical concentrations 243
costs 246
diversification 246–7
key challenge 245
natural selection 245–6
muons 74–5
Murchison meteorite 197–8, 206
Murray meteorite 197
music 320
mutations 180–1, 203–5, 228–32, 237, 345–6, 348–9, 383, 399–400, 401
myths 22
Nagel, Thomas 262, 265
narratives 361–73
centrality of 371
changes 369–70
false 370–2
functions 368
TCs 361–8, 369–70
nation states 300
natural selection 219, 222, 226–8, 237, 245–6, 258, 400
nature, negative human impact on 329–32, 337–8
Neander Valley 37
Neanderthals 36, 37–42, 305, 316, 319, 319–24, 327, 412, 416
appearance 319
art 320, 321
brain 319
culture 319, 320
diet 320
extinction 321–2
gardens 320–1
genome size 41–2
intelligence 320
interbreeding with Homo sapiens 323
what if? 324
Neptune 145, 147
neuron networks 274–80, 279, 355
neurons 273–5, 275, 280, 283–4, 295–6, 347, 355, 384–5
neuroscience 280, 284
neuroscientists 270
neutrinos 73–4
neutrons 6, 64, 65, 70, 283–4, 295–6
Newton, Isaac 3, 79, 101, 368–9, 378
nitrogen 91, 163
nitrogen cycle 337
non-metals 100–1
nonpolar bonds 119–20
non-reproductive cells 183–4
non-scientific beliefs 403–7
Northern Lights 157
nothingness 85–6
nuclear bombs 16, 70
nuclear fusion 65, 91
nuclear power 8
nucleobases 40–1, 42, 176, 217–18, 231–2, 344, 396
nucleogenesis 92–3
nucleons 70
observable universe, the 61, 89, 90
observation 6, 20, 22, 23–4, 44, 56
Occam’s razor 57, 380, 420
octopuses 263, 269
ocular albinism 180–1, 345–6, 348–9, 362, 371
offspring 174
oganesson 100, 116
Ohio State University 131
1-diazidocarbamoyl-5-azidotetrazole 96
Ophiocordyceps unilateralis 264–5
Orang pendek 33–5, 42
orang-utans 254–5
orbital eccentricity 154
orbits 66, 147, 394
organic chemistry 123–9
organic compounds 196, 197–200
organisms, resource needs 213–14
Owen, Richard 234–5
Oxford, University of 289–92
bureaucracy 298–300
Department of Biology 290–2
organization 299–300
Oxford dons 11
oxidization 103
oxygen 91, 92, 105, 196, 244
atmospheric 163–4, 238–40, 397–8
discovery of 102
in the human body 122
reactivity 105, 239, 397–8
oxygenation event 238–40
ozone layer 150–1
Pacala, Steve 142–3
pain 294–5
palaeontologists 301, 303, 309, 317
Pangea 161–2
panspermia 195–6
parental attention 352
Paris japonica 231–2
Parker Solar probe 61
particle collisions 42
particle interactions 67–73
particle physics, Standard Model of 48, 55
Patient 2410 354
Patient 3534 354–5
Peekskill, New York, meteorite strike 167
peers and friends, comparisons with 288
Pemberton, Josephine 224–5
periodic table 100–1, 102–3, 103–4
Permian mass extinction 251–2
perseverance 8
personality and personality traits 12, 351–2, 353–73, 360, 402–3, 408–11
age related changes 355–6
bad behaviour 368–9, 408, 409–10
the big five 359, 360
brain and 353–5
and brain injuries 354–5
difficulty in studying 356–61
educational environment 362
environmental drivers 355–71
and experiences 355–71
individual differences 356–9, 359–61
role of personal narratives 367–73
sense-making 367–73
statistical insights 357–8
and traumatic events 360
phenotypic evolution 399–400
phenotypic traits 219, 221–7, 255, 341–3, 345, 400
bad behaviour 409–10
data collection 225–6
environmental impacts 351, 352
extreme instances 410
genetic impacts 347–9
new 228
phlogiston 103–4
phosphine 415
phospholipids 206
phosphorus 198
photons 67, 73, 75, 79, 117, 124
photosynthesis 163, 164, 238–9, 241, 383
physics 59–60, 104
Pikaia gracilens 247, 248
Pilbara, Australia 172–3
Planck length 69
Planck scale 69, 85
planetesimals 145
planets 241, 394
axial spin 153
axial tilt 153–4
exoplanets 140–1, 168, 394, 414
formation of 137, 145
habitable zone 149–50
magnetic field 155–9
number of 167–8
temperature 152–3
variety 168
plants 249, 250, 292
plate tectonics 159–60
pleasure 294
Pluto, orbit 147
point mutations 229–30
polar bonds 119
pollution 150–1
polygynous species 315
Polynesia 323–4
population growth 328–30, 333–4, 336
positive ions 118
positrons 94, 95
potassium 121
potassium-40, decay 95–6
pottery 325, 327
poverty 287
predators 214
prediction 378–80
primates 305, 307
probability 114
probability distributions, fundamental particles as 381
problem solving 6
and randomness 386–90
Project Trust 364
proteins 124, 178–9, 185–7, 344
proton gradient 185–7
proton pumps 209
protons 64, 65
electric charge 71, 104
formation of 6, 70
psychopathic behaviour 410
Purnululu range, Western Australia 132–4
purpose, sense of 292
quantum behaviour
atoms 105–12
wave-particle duality 106–12, 112
quantum biology 383–4, 388
quantum consciousness 385, 388
quantum loop gravity 84, 392
quantum mechanics 103, 380–3
role in biology 383–4, 388
role in consciousness 385, 388
quantum particles 111
quarks 6, 67, 70–1, 73, 74, 74, 84, 86
Quebec 173
questions 7–8, 23–4, 25
rabies 98–9
radio waves 87, 131
radioactive decay 65, 72
radioactive elements 65
radioactivity 103
Ralph of Maidstone 300
random events 2, 385–6
randomness 379–80, 381–3, 385–6, 393, 403
in biology 388
evolution 388
and problem solving 386–90
reactive chemicals 208
red deer 225, 302
religion 335–6, 404–7, 411–12
replacement rate 328–9
reproductive cells 183–4
reproductive failure 226–7, 409
researchers, debt of gratitude to 10
retinal ganglion cells 278
ribonucleic acid (RNA) 185, 201, 204, 396–7
RNA 185, 201, 204
rock-forming minerals 159
Roman Empire 338
royal family 370–1
Royal Society 368–9
rust 66
Rutherford, Ernest 103
Sagittarius 131
Sagittarius A* 137, 139
sandstone 134
Santander, cave paintings 321
satellites 151
Saturn 145, 147, 149–50, 394