Cosmos - Chapter 2

Because this chapter is all about biology, I've pretty much heard it before. Notably, there were a nice anecdotes on the Heike crabs of Japan (as an example of artifical selection) and thoughtful speculation on what life might exist on a gaseous planet (floaters, sinkers and hunters; an idea I vaguely remember from a discovery channel special). Sagan has a gift of turning scientific phenomena into poetry. Everything from the interplay between plants and animals and the mundane task (at least for me) of DNA replication are placed on a cosmic scale. Instead of appearing insignificant, they take on deeper meaning. Its been a joy to read so far.