Margulis has already advanced the idea that some speciation is the result of genomic fusion, for example that eukaryotes originated through the fusion of an archaebacterium with some eubacteria. It is also accepted that early in the history of life genomes were combined through lateral gene transfers. In this book the authors go further and argue provocatively that all speciation events are caused by symbioses, cooperation and the reticulation of genomes.
Lynn Margulis is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a recipient of the 1999 Presidential Medal of Science. She is also Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Geosciences, University of Massachusetts.
Dorion Sagan is the author of Biospheres and, with Dr. Eric Schneider, Into the Cool: The New Thermodynamics of Life.