Life is a chancy proposition: from the movement of molecules to the age
at which we die, chance plays a key role in the natural world.
Traditionally, biologists have viewed the inevitable "noise" of life as
an unfortunate complication. The authors of this book, however, treat
random processes as a benefit. In this introduction to chance in
biology, Mark Denny and Steven Gaines help readers to apply the
probability theory needed to make sense of chance events--using examples
from ocean waves to spiderwebs, in fields ranging from molecular
mechanics to evolution.
Through the application of probability theory, Denny and Gaines make
predictions about how plants and animals work in a stochastic universe.
Is it possible to pack a variety of ion channels into a cell membrane
and have each operate at near-peak flow? Why are our arteries rubbery?
The concept of a random walk provides the necessary insight. Is there an
absolute upper limit to human life span? Could the sound of a cocktail
party burst your eardrums? The statistics of extremes allows us to make
the appropriate calculations. How long must you wait to see the detail
in a moonlit landscape? Can you hear the noise of individual molecules?
The authors provide answers to these and many other questions.
After an introduction to the basic statistical methods to be used in
this book, the authors emphasize the application of probability theory
to biology rather than the details of the theory itself. Readers with an
introductory background in calculus will be able to follow the
reasoning, and sets of problems, together with their solutions, are
offered to reinforce concepts. The use of real-world examples, numerous
illustrations, and chapter summaries--all presented with clarity and
wit--make for a highly accessible text. By relating the theory of
probability to the understanding of form and function in living things,
the authors seek to pique the reader's curiosity about statistics and
provide a new perspective on the role of chance in biology.
