Evolution, the idea that life forms of today evolved from life forms of the past, is one of the most exciting and illuminating concepts ever formulated. As we shall see, the answers to many puzzling questions can be understood in the context of evolution. Evolution allows us to make predictions about what to expect in future observations and experiments. No one would attempt to teach chemistry without introducing the periodic table, because it allows us to predict the behavior of elements in a chemical reaction. Likewise, trying to make sense of the living world without an understanding of its evolutionary history is utterly hopeless. This book weaves information from different areas of science into a comprehensive picture that supports the dynamic truth of evolution.