This is the third edition of a publication first issued in 1984 by the NAS (an independent society of scientists elected by their peers for outstanding contributions to their field, and which has a mandate from Congress since 1863 to advise the federal government on issues of science and technology).

Besides the 47 pp of main text, this pamphlet has a 3 pp Preface, 6 pp of FAQs, 5 pp of Additional Readings, 6 pp of Biographies of the 15 Committee Members and a 3-pp Index. From the Preface: Evolutionary biology has been and continues to be a cornerstone of modern science. This booklet documents some of the major contributions that an understanding of evolution has made to human well-being, including its contributions to preventing and treating human disease, developing new agricultural products, and creating industrial innovations. More broadly, evolution is a core concept in biology that is based both in the study of past life forms and in the study of the relatedness and diversity of present-day organisms. The rapid advances now being made in the life sciences and in medicine rest on principles derived from an understanding of evolution.” … “Given the increasing importance of evolution to the life, physical, and medical sciences and to the improvement of health care, this new edition is a joint publication.”

Its four short chapters (all in magazine style, with many photos and sidebars as well as simple figures) are Evolution and the Nature of Science, The Evidence for Biological Evolution, Creationist Perspectives, and Conclusion. This pamphlet-size book was sent to me by a NAS physics friend in response to a phone call to him when I heard about it. He said the focus stresses medicine, since many creationists (with Darwin phobia) accept and use medical advances, which the NAS and IoM hoped would draw them to read a short book. But due to the irrational evolution fear by most creationists, he is among many who feel that only those who place importance upon the credibility of science, and the lack thereof for creationism, will read it. Comparing this pamphlet to Michael Schermer’s Why Darwin Matters (book 237) would be unfair, as Schermer had a whole book to work with. But I think the committee’s work is great, so I commend it as a very useful service to the general public from these two groups of experts and I recommend it highly. (I think it would be wise to read it before reading the greater details in Schermer’s book 237.)