---
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title: "The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution (A Brief History of the Natural World)"
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# The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution (A Brief History of the Natural World)

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Richard Dawkins transformed our view of God in his blockbuster, The God Delusion, which sold millions of copies in English alone. He revolutionized the way we see natural selection in the seminal bestseller The Selfish Gene . Now, he launches a fierce counterattack against proponents of "Intelligent Design" in his New York Times bestseller, The Greatest Show on Earth . "Intelligent Design" is being taught in our schools; educators are being asked to "teach the controversy" behind evolutionary theory. There is no controversy. Dawkins sifts through rich layers of scientific evidence—from living examples of natural selection to clues in the fossil record; from natural clocks that mark the vast epochs wherein evolution ran its course to the intricacies of developing embryos; from plate tectonics to molecular genetics—to make the airtight case that "we find ourselves perched on one tiny twig in the midst of a blossoming and flourishing tree of life and it is no accident, but the direct consequence of evolution by non-random selection." His unjaded passion for the natural world turns what might have been a negative argument, exposing the absurdities of the creationist position, into a positive offering to the reader: nothing less than a master’s vision of life, in all its splendor.

Review: The Grand Story of Evolution - One of my fondest childhood memories was from a family vacation to Paris. Of all the wonderful things in that city, one place struck me the most, and my memories, upon a recent revisit, were relit: The Grand Gallery of Evolution. The Grand Gallery is organized far different than American museums. The entire structure is dedicated to placing Darwin's theory of natural selection right in front of you, to let your eyes see the story of life itself. There are few colorful placards, no special themed exhibits, or other things tailored to appeal to pop sensibility. Instead, the viewer is faced with endless rows of skeletal fish, reptiles, amphibians, marsupials, mammals, and crustaceans in one chamber, and a less dense collection of dinosaur fossils in the other room. The skeletons in the first chamber are each placed amidst related species, so as to indicate their shared heritage. The collection spans the smallest fish to the largest whales, the most humble toad to fearsome land predators. There is one particularly morbid shelf that places infant skeletons side-by-side of each ape species, including a human infant skeleton. Above all this is a wide class ceiling window that allows light to pour through onto the specimens. No artificial light is necessary to view life's grandeur. The Grand Gallery, through the sheer brute facticity of physical evidence, proves what Dawkins in his latest book "The Greatest Show on Earth" proves through citation and argument. Because of his crusading against theism during the 00s, it can be easy to forget that Dawkins is one of the titanic names of evolutionary biology. Not only did he pioneer research into the role played by genetic competition in competitions between organisms, but he has written multiple "user-friendly" guides to the mechanics and intellectual debates within evolution. With this most recent tome, however, Dawkins seeks to provide a much-needed guide to the evidence that proves Darwin's theory. He covers a wide variety of different "sectors" of evolutionary evidence, ranging from fossil dating, comparative anatomy, modern genetics, paleoanthropology, and others. He tackles each of these subjects, and demonstrates that when the study of life is approached with the scientific method in hand, it's impossible not to see the incredible explanatory power of Darwinism. Although Dawkins frequently addresses creationist critiques of evolutionary theory throughout the text, this book has both an effect and appeal beyond those who want to disprove the nonsense known as "Intelligent Design." Dawkins succeeds in paying homage to the awe-inspiring natural history of life itself. The book entertains and inspires, as well as informs. "The Greatest Show on Earth" is not just some recap of your high school bio courses either. Dawkins is a genuinely talented scientific writer, and his style aids greatly in absorption of the information he presents. However, Dawkins also tells the story of how modern science finally discovered natural selection, along with all the bumps and failures along the way. Furthermore, and this is something I give him a lot of credit for, Dawkins discusses the epistemological challenges that evolutionary biology has struggled to overcome throughout its development. One of the most basic challenges that evolutionary biology faced in its formation, in terms of its conceptual apparatus, was with the way the human mind conceives of living beings themselves. We like to think of living organisms as fixed species, and our complex taxonomical systems help perpetuate this illusion. As Dawkins states though, life is Heraclitean, not Platonic. It is always in flux. Organisms are bundles of genes which constantly compete with each other for expression. All evolutionary changes are contingent by essence. They depend on the pressures and mutations that an individual organism faces. They do not fit into a master plan, and it is clear that there is no intelligence behind their design, at least in the sense that Creationists argue. The physiological and behavioral characteristics that genes express can shift in their usage, and reconfigure to push evolution onwards. Feathers were originally "meant" to keep certain dinosaur species warm, or perhaps aid in sexual selection. However, at some point, natural selection pushed this characteristic towards usage in flight. The eventual usage of feathers for flight was entirely contingent. Evolution easily could have pushed the avian dinosaur species in another direction. This is the same reason, as Dawkins points out, why bats have an entirely different means of flight from birds, because the means by which they gained the ability to fly was contingent. It was based on certain selection pressures they faced at a certain point in their natural history, and was based on what biological tools bats already had in their repertoire, which didn't necessarily have anything to do with flight beforehand. Also, many seemingly complex devices, such as eyes, go through phases of increasing (and sometimes decreasing) complexity, but not because they are working towards an end goal, but because natural selection pushes them in different directions at different points in evolutionary history. Some of the most fascinating pieces of evidence that Dawkins provides are recent, and highly successful, attempts at recreating species evolution in laboratory settings. By simply exposing microrganisms, inspects, and fish into controlled settings, it has been demonstrated that evolution, and huge leaps in evolution at that, can occur before our very eyes. Many changes that Creationists used to claim were impossible can actually be observed directly by the scientific process! Aside from this, Dawkins provides the reader with glimpses into the story of natural history in our own bodies, the organs of animals, the fossilized imprints of plants, and countless other sources. The incredible thing, which I don't think I entirely grasped before reading this book, is that the evidence doesn't simply point to the fact that changes occur constantly throughout natural history, but that we can see the battles between competing genes as they're played out in the very bodily being of life itself. Needless to say, I have a high opinion of this book. If you've been turned off by the sometimes boorish (although often insightful) things Dawkins has to say about organized religion, then I implore you to put aside your prejudices and read this book. Dawkins is a lovely writer when you give him a chance. If you affirm the scientific theory of Darwinism, but don't feel as if you really know much about evolution per se, then this book will go a long way in filling that gap. If you're an ID proponent or a Creationist, then I double dog dare you to read this. I have no doubt that you'll come out shaken.
Review: Dawkins at his best: comprehensive proof of evolution - There are few authors alive capable of weaving wonder and authority into popular science writing better than Richard Dawkins, and in his newest book The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution, released in September, 2009, he has shown that he is still the master of popular biology. Following a narrative that works much as the one employed by Charles Darwin in On the Origin of Species (and frequently mentioning Darwin), Dawkins presents a comprehensive look at the modern state of evolutionary theory, and more specifically, the evidence which proves it is true beyond any serious doubt. I had read many Dawkins books prior to Greatest Show, including his biology and science-oriented books The Selfish Gene, The Extended Phenotype, Unweaving the Rainbow, The Blind Watchmaker, and River Out of Eden. I have not yet read The Ancestors Tale (which I understand is Dawkins most comprehensive biological work, nor have I read Climbing Mount Improbably (which Dawkins has stated is his own favorite work), both of which I own but have yet to get to. So, my review is in light of these experiences (or lack thereof). The first couple of chapters are for softening up any hesistant readers and convincing new learners that evolution is not only realistic, it can be observed around us in a myriad of ways, including the comparisons between natural selection and the artificial selection practiced by human animal and plant breeders. Following this intro, Dawkins lays down the tool kit and shows how Neo-Darwinian theory knows how to trust estimated dates, looking at the various chemical clocks available. The chapter titled "Before Our Very Eyes" was the most enjoyable and enlightening for me, personally, as the reader has described for him/her several fascinating experiments which have demonstrated the power of natural selection and mutation to drive complex genetic progression. The information on the Richard Lenski-led study of E. coli is worth the price of the book alone. Tremendously important and strong evidence for Dawkins' central thesis. Dawkins follows this by moving into fossil records, showing the reader how scientists have studied and come to see the fossil record as important, but not the most important facts available to evolutionary theory. He shows that the 'gaps' in the fossil record are actually useful for taxonomic reasons, and posits that a complete fossil record would lead to immense confusion when trying to determine just where a new species begins from the old. Dawkins also knocks down the argument that talk of 'missing links' is useful, and pleads for the cessation of this term since its usefulness has long-since been destroyed. Like he says often, every fossil we find is a missing link, every one is a transitional fossil of some sort. The chapter "You did it yourself in nine months" was my least favorite, though it was certainly necessary to present in a comprehensive view of evolution. The following chapter on biogeography returns to a superior narrative and offers strong evidence for geographic proof of evolution, again, just as Darwin did in describing the variety of species found strew across the Galapagos Islands. Following that are chapters on cousinship among life forms and the ability of DNA to provide a historical archive which begin to draw together a personal closeness that derives from the evidence of the preceding chapters. The final couple of chapters move a bit more toward being meditative, though don't expect Dawkins to get too mushy. What begins as a discussion of arms races ends with a look at 'evolutionary theodicy', where Dawkins argues that we find suffering and pain exactly as we would expect from the emotionless processes of natural selection. Finally, the book winds down with more reflection as Dawkins expounds upon the last paragraph of Darwin's Origin and draws together the book's conclusion by reinforcing that the fact of evolution does not depend on any statement about abiogenesis or origin of life concerns. Clearly, what the theory suggest, and has been proven by practically every bit of evidence uncovered, is that, however it started, evolution is the way in which living things grow, compete, reproduce, and change. I haven't read a more comprehensive book on Evolution to date, and I think Dawkins has abolutely knocked it out of the park here. I admit to a strong Dawkins bias, so I wanted to like this book, but I also had very high hopes for it because it was the first Dawkins biology-centric book to be released since I started reading his work. I expected a ton. I got it and more. For the beginning reader, I would still recommend the much-more streamlined arguments in Jerry Coyne's Why Evolution is True, but for the reader with some science experience, or for the curious reader who wants the full picture, this is as good as it gets. Five stars.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #113,885 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #6 in Organic Evolution #33 in Creationism #86 in Mythology & Folklore Encyclopedias |
| Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 2,622 Reviews |

## Images

![The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution (A Brief History of the Natural World) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/713qU+f2e4L.jpg)

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## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Grand Story of Evolution
*by A***L on May 22, 2012*

One of my fondest childhood memories was from a family vacation to Paris. Of all the wonderful things in that city, one place struck me the most, and my memories, upon a recent revisit, were relit: The Grand Gallery of Evolution. The Grand Gallery is organized far different than American museums. The entire structure is dedicated to placing Darwin's theory of natural selection right in front of you, to let your eyes see the story of life itself. There are few colorful placards, no special themed exhibits, or other things tailored to appeal to pop sensibility. Instead, the viewer is faced with endless rows of skeletal fish, reptiles, amphibians, marsupials, mammals, and crustaceans in one chamber, and a less dense collection of dinosaur fossils in the other room. The skeletons in the first chamber are each placed amidst related species, so as to indicate their shared heritage. The collection spans the smallest fish to the largest whales, the most humble toad to fearsome land predators. There is one particularly morbid shelf that places infant skeletons side-by-side of each ape species, including a human infant skeleton. Above all this is a wide class ceiling window that allows light to pour through onto the specimens. No artificial light is necessary to view life's grandeur. The Grand Gallery, through the sheer brute facticity of physical evidence, proves what Dawkins in his latest book "The Greatest Show on Earth" proves through citation and argument. Because of his crusading against theism during the 00s, it can be easy to forget that Dawkins is one of the titanic names of evolutionary biology. Not only did he pioneer research into the role played by genetic competition in competitions between organisms, but he has written multiple "user-friendly" guides to the mechanics and intellectual debates within evolution. With this most recent tome, however, Dawkins seeks to provide a much-needed guide to the evidence that proves Darwin's theory. He covers a wide variety of different "sectors" of evolutionary evidence, ranging from fossil dating, comparative anatomy, modern genetics, paleoanthropology, and others. He tackles each of these subjects, and demonstrates that when the study of life is approached with the scientific method in hand, it's impossible not to see the incredible explanatory power of Darwinism. Although Dawkins frequently addresses creationist critiques of evolutionary theory throughout the text, this book has both an effect and appeal beyond those who want to disprove the nonsense known as "Intelligent Design." Dawkins succeeds in paying homage to the awe-inspiring natural history of life itself. The book entertains and inspires, as well as informs. "The Greatest Show on Earth" is not just some recap of your high school bio courses either. Dawkins is a genuinely talented scientific writer, and his style aids greatly in absorption of the information he presents. However, Dawkins also tells the story of how modern science finally discovered natural selection, along with all the bumps and failures along the way. Furthermore, and this is something I give him a lot of credit for, Dawkins discusses the epistemological challenges that evolutionary biology has struggled to overcome throughout its development. One of the most basic challenges that evolutionary biology faced in its formation, in terms of its conceptual apparatus, was with the way the human mind conceives of living beings themselves. We like to think of living organisms as fixed species, and our complex taxonomical systems help perpetuate this illusion. As Dawkins states though, life is Heraclitean, not Platonic. It is always in flux. Organisms are bundles of genes which constantly compete with each other for expression. All evolutionary changes are contingent by essence. They depend on the pressures and mutations that an individual organism faces. They do not fit into a master plan, and it is clear that there is no intelligence behind their design, at least in the sense that Creationists argue. The physiological and behavioral characteristics that genes express can shift in their usage, and reconfigure to push evolution onwards. Feathers were originally "meant" to keep certain dinosaur species warm, or perhaps aid in sexual selection. However, at some point, natural selection pushed this characteristic towards usage in flight. The eventual usage of feathers for flight was entirely contingent. Evolution easily could have pushed the avian dinosaur species in another direction. This is the same reason, as Dawkins points out, why bats have an entirely different means of flight from birds, because the means by which they gained the ability to fly was contingent. It was based on certain selection pressures they faced at a certain point in their natural history, and was based on what biological tools bats already had in their repertoire, which didn't necessarily have anything to do with flight beforehand. Also, many seemingly complex devices, such as eyes, go through phases of increasing (and sometimes decreasing) complexity, but not because they are working towards an end goal, but because natural selection pushes them in different directions at different points in evolutionary history. Some of the most fascinating pieces of evidence that Dawkins provides are recent, and highly successful, attempts at recreating species evolution in laboratory settings. By simply exposing microrganisms, inspects, and fish into controlled settings, it has been demonstrated that evolution, and huge leaps in evolution at that, can occur before our very eyes. Many changes that Creationists used to claim were impossible can actually be observed directly by the scientific process! Aside from this, Dawkins provides the reader with glimpses into the story of natural history in our own bodies, the organs of animals, the fossilized imprints of plants, and countless other sources. The incredible thing, which I don't think I entirely grasped before reading this book, is that the evidence doesn't simply point to the fact that changes occur constantly throughout natural history, but that we can see the battles between competing genes as they're played out in the very bodily being of life itself. Needless to say, I have a high opinion of this book. If you've been turned off by the sometimes boorish (although often insightful) things Dawkins has to say about organized religion, then I implore you to put aside your prejudices and read this book. Dawkins is a lovely writer when you give him a chance. If you affirm the scientific theory of Darwinism, but don't feel as if you really know much about evolution per se, then this book will go a long way in filling that gap. If you're an ID proponent or a Creationist, then I double dog dare you to read this. I have no doubt that you'll come out shaken.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Dawkins at his best: comprehensive proof of evolution
*by D***S on October 4, 2009*

There are few authors alive capable of weaving wonder and authority into popular science writing better than Richard Dawkins, and in his newest book The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution, released in September, 2009, he has shown that he is still the master of popular biology. Following a narrative that works much as the one employed by Charles Darwin in On the Origin of Species (and frequently mentioning Darwin), Dawkins presents a comprehensive look at the modern state of evolutionary theory, and more specifically, the evidence which proves it is true beyond any serious doubt. I had read many Dawkins books prior to Greatest Show, including his biology and science-oriented books The Selfish Gene, The Extended Phenotype, Unweaving the Rainbow, The Blind Watchmaker, and River Out of Eden. I have not yet read The Ancestors Tale (which I understand is Dawkins most comprehensive biological work, nor have I read Climbing Mount Improbably (which Dawkins has stated is his own favorite work), both of which I own but have yet to get to. So, my review is in light of these experiences (or lack thereof). The first couple of chapters are for softening up any hesistant readers and convincing new learners that evolution is not only realistic, it can be observed around us in a myriad of ways, including the comparisons between natural selection and the artificial selection practiced by human animal and plant breeders. Following this intro, Dawkins lays down the tool kit and shows how Neo-Darwinian theory knows how to trust estimated dates, looking at the various chemical clocks available. The chapter titled "Before Our Very Eyes" was the most enjoyable and enlightening for me, personally, as the reader has described for him/her several fascinating experiments which have demonstrated the power of natural selection and mutation to drive complex genetic progression. The information on the Richard Lenski-led study of E. coli is worth the price of the book alone. Tremendously important and strong evidence for Dawkins' central thesis. Dawkins follows this by moving into fossil records, showing the reader how scientists have studied and come to see the fossil record as important, but not the most important facts available to evolutionary theory. He shows that the 'gaps' in the fossil record are actually useful for taxonomic reasons, and posits that a complete fossil record would lead to immense confusion when trying to determine just where a new species begins from the old. Dawkins also knocks down the argument that talk of 'missing links' is useful, and pleads for the cessation of this term since its usefulness has long-since been destroyed. Like he says often, every fossil we find is a missing link, every one is a transitional fossil of some sort. The chapter "You did it yourself in nine months" was my least favorite, though it was certainly necessary to present in a comprehensive view of evolution. The following chapter on biogeography returns to a superior narrative and offers strong evidence for geographic proof of evolution, again, just as Darwin did in describing the variety of species found strew across the Galapagos Islands. Following that are chapters on cousinship among life forms and the ability of DNA to provide a historical archive which begin to draw together a personal closeness that derives from the evidence of the preceding chapters. The final couple of chapters move a bit more toward being meditative, though don't expect Dawkins to get too mushy. What begins as a discussion of arms races ends with a look at 'evolutionary theodicy', where Dawkins argues that we find suffering and pain exactly as we would expect from the emotionless processes of natural selection. Finally, the book winds down with more reflection as Dawkins expounds upon the last paragraph of Darwin's Origin and draws together the book's conclusion by reinforcing that the fact of evolution does not depend on any statement about abiogenesis or origin of life concerns. Clearly, what the theory suggest, and has been proven by practically every bit of evidence uncovered, is that, however it started, evolution is the way in which living things grow, compete, reproduce, and change. I haven't read a more comprehensive book on Evolution to date, and I think Dawkins has abolutely knocked it out of the park here. I admit to a strong Dawkins bias, so I wanted to like this book, but I also had very high hopes for it because it was the first Dawkins biology-centric book to be released since I started reading his work. I expected a ton. I got it and more. For the beginning reader, I would still recommend the much-more streamlined arguments in Jerry Coyne's Why Evolution is True, but for the reader with some science experience, or for the curious reader who wants the full picture, this is as good as it gets. Five stars.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ For the History Denier - Deny this!
*by P***N on October 14, 2009*

I just finished reading "The Greatest Show On Earth, the Evidence For Evolution," the newest offering by Richard Dawkins, the author of "The God Delusion" and other works. In the preface, Dawkins said that his reason for writing TGSOE was to lay out all of the evidence for evolution, from all the scientific disciplines, and, speaking as a non-scientist I would have to say he has done exactly that! While reading along, I had the feeling I was observing a master puzzle-person assembling a vast jig saw puzzle, with a few clues here and a few clues there, slowly but surely building a seamless wall of evidence with fact after supporting fact, at the end leaving no doubt about the truth of evolution by natural selection. Dawkins made it clear from the very beginning that this was not an anti-god book, for as he said, he has already done that! Throughout the book, he refers to the anti-evolution folks as "the history deniers," a term which I feel is stronger then merely assigning them to one of two opposing (and possibly equal) camps, and places them in the category of those who choose to disbelieve what science considers undeniable fact. Dawkins takes us on a purposeful romp through many different scientific disciplines, demonstrating how they all work together to prove the wonderful truths of evolution. We have an exploration of nuclear physics, which, supported by biology and geology provides the clocks by which we measure the vast expanses of geologic time. We learn that the fossil record, much maligned by the history deniers, is only one of the evidences for evolution, and not even the strongest, even though it is rich and nearly un-assailable. Dawkins recounts the DNA evidence, which tells us exactly how closely we are related to every other living thing on earth. He goes into great detail explaining how DNA controls the development of an embryo, how various organs are constructed. We also learn that various constructs within our bodies are actually evidence for evolution. For instance, there is a nerve, called the recurrent laryngeal nerve that runs from our brains to our larynx (voice box). You would think it would go directly, but it actually takes a turn around one of the major arteries leaving the heart, and returns to the larynx after a journey of almost a foot. All mammals have this same recurrent nerve, and in the case of the Giraffe, it's journey takes it almost fifteen feet our-of-the-way, resulting in an animal that seems to have a very robust larynx but is only able to vocalize short grunts. This recurrent nerve makes no sense whatsoever if we were "intelligently designed," but makes perfect sense if you take into consideration that our ancestors had no necks and gills! If we had no fossils, no DNA and no chemical evidence for evolution, we could still make an excellent case for Darwin with the evidence provided by the distribution of species, taking into account the former and present positions of the continents. Dawkins shows us why this often-overlooked evidence is important, and how it fits into the overall scheme. All in all, I think this book is one of the best of its kind, and certainly meets the expectations of the writer. I recommend it highly, as it is accessible, readable and extremely comprehensive. Dawkins does a very good job, even in areas where he isn't a recognized expert, in laying out ALL the evidence for what is certainly the foundation of all biology. I have mentioned only a few of the areas he covers, he managed to teach me a great deal in a few short days, and I need some time for some of the lessons to sink in. Certainly a wonderful addition to the genre.

## Frequently Bought Together

- The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution (A Brief History of the Natural World)
- The Selfish Gene: 40th Anniversary Edition (Oxford Landmark Science)
- The God Delusion

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