A world from dust how the periodic table shaped life by ben mcfarland can at times be a difficult read but despite that and regardless of some writing structural issues its an often engaging and always confidently informative exploration of how life was driven down certain paths by the implacable requirements of chemistry. A world from dust is a popular science book about the chemical sequence behind the evolution of creation written by ben mcfarland and illustrated by gala bent and mary anderson chaffee like all good works of science for the general public mcfarlands is full of fascinating examples a dash of humor and just plain cool facts. A world from dust how the periodic table shaped life ben mcfarland the book uses accessible language to appeal to non scientists includes 40 illustrations by gala bent print artist and studio faculty member at cornish college of the arts and mary anderson medical illustrator. His research uses the rules of chemistry to redesign immune system proteins in 2013 he received an evolution and christian faith ecf grant from biologos to write a world from dust how the periodic table shaped life oxford university press 2016 he lives near seattle with his wife laurie and his children sam aidan brendan and benjamin