Dinner with Darwin: Food, Drink, and Evolution

A "delectably erudite" study of how natural selection has shaped the foods we eat: "This intricate scientific banquet is a marvelous read: bon appétit." —Nature

What do eggs, flour, and milk have in common? They form the basis of waffles, of course, but these breakfast staples also share an evolutionary function: eggs, seeds (from which we derive flour by grinding), and milk have each evolved to nourish offspring. Indeed, ponder the genesis of your breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and you'll so...