(11/19/21)In the beginning, Earth was an inhospitably alien place―in constant chemical flux, covered with churning seas, crafting its landscape through incessant volcanic eruptions. Amid all this tumult and disaster, life began. In his new book A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth: 4.6 Billion Years in 12 Pithy Chapters, senior editor of the scientific journal Nature Henry Gee zips through the last 4.6 billion years with equal parts enthusiasm and intellectual rigor. Join us for a look at life's life story in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.