How did life originate on Earth? How and according to what laws did it develop? Today, in search of answers to these questions, people in Russia and the West are increasingly turning to scientific knowledge. Creationist concepts that attribute the creation of living organisms to higher forces are attractive due to their apparent simplicity and clarity. However, modern science, based on the evolutionary theory of the origin of life, is able to offer no less clear, but much more reliable answers to these questions. The book, created by a group of experts from the US National Academy of Sciences and the American Institute of Medicine, tells the story of scientific discoveries that confirm the truth of the theory of evolution and clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of its application in various areas of human activity - from industry and agriculture to medicine and pharmacology.