A classic encyclopedia on the theory of evolution from molecular biologist Malon Hoagland, who discovered transfer RNA, and famous artist Bert Dodson. A unique work at the intersection of science and art. Where did life come from and how does it function? How do plants turn sunlight into food? How can we write down instructions for every species on the planet in the secret language of DNA, which has only four letters in its “alphabet”? And finally, what came first: the chicken or the egg? Reading this book is like a whirlpool. And it explains complex concepts through analogies and metaphorical illustrations. The authors take readers on a fascinating tour of the countless processes that tie life together. They will help you understand that all living things, from the simplest virus to the most complex vertebrates, function in remarkably similar ways. And fall in love with biology forever. The encyclopedia is known all over the world and is published in Russian for the first time. The 1998 edition is supplemented by modern theories and provided with comments by Russian scientists.