Fires of Life

'Vividly narrated and illustrated' this analysis of how endothermy evolved in birds and mammals is 'provocative and fascinating' (Southeastern Naturalist).This pioneering work investigates why endothermy, or 'warm-bloodedness,' evolved in birds and mammals, despite its enormous energetic costs. Arguing that single-cause hypotheses to explain the origins of endothermy have stalled research since the 1970s, Barry Gordon Lovegrove advances a novel conceptual framework that considers multiple potential causes and integrates data from the southern as well as the northern hemisphere. Drawing on paleontological data; research on extant species in places like the Karoo, Namaqualand, Madagascar, and Borneo; and novel physiological models, Lovegrove builds a compelling new explanation for the evolution of endothermy. Vividly narrated and illustrated, this book stages a groundbreaking argument that should prove provocative and fascinating for specialists and lay readers alike.'A lovely synthesis. . . . A particular value of this book is the unification of the paleontological and comparative physiology literatures. I loved the images of reconstructed ancestral vertebrates; these bring the bones to life, and helped me reimagine our endothermic ancestors.' -Jon Harrison, Quarterly Review of Biology'In my view Barry Gordon Lovegrove is probably the best person alive to tackle this subject in the round.' -Andrew Clarke, Emeritus Fellow, British Antarctic Survey, author of Principles of Thermal Ecology'Barry Lovegrove has a history of tackling key macroevolutionary questions from the perspective of evolutionary physiology. [A] must-read.' -Theodore Garland, Jr., University of California, Riverside'The evolutionary journey of endothermy in vertebrates: a lot older and hotter than you think.' -Fritz Geiser, University of New England