We are surrounded by more than 100,000 industrially produced chemicals, many of which have received no, or at best cursory, testing for toxicity. For each public outcry about the dangers of lead in paint, mercury in fish, or BPA in plastic bottles, there are tens of thousands of chemicals that the average consumer may encounter every day without knowing their names or the consequences of exposure.

These chemicals not only influence life today, but may also influence the shape of generations to come. We must understand the long-term effects of these chemicals so we can make responsible choices today. Moreover, understanding how life has evolved in response to chemical challenges in the distant past could illuminate more effective ways to battle current diseases, including cancer.

In Evolution in a Toxic World, toxicologist Emily Monosson takes the long view of life’s history to develop a more accurate picture of the true toll of toxics. Beginning with life’s earliest response to toxics, she delves into evolutionary history to reveal how life has responded to UV radiation, oxygen, and metals. By tracing how life evolved the ability to withstand the first, depend upon the second, and harness the benefits of the third, Monosson provides a window into the diversity of evolutionary responses to toxics.

Subsequent chapters explore the evolution of other responses that are relevant today. For example, she explores the evolution of proteins that may have a role fighting cancer, plant compounds that have inspired today’s pharmaceuticals, and the give-and-take relationship between hormones and endocrine disrupters. Throughout the book, Monosson creates a complex image of life’s relationship with chemicals and explains what we know, what we don’t yet know, and how we might learn more about our bodies’ response to current and future chemical  threats.

In the end, Monosson’s consideration of the vast network of chemicals we meet every day is sobering. Toxicology is limited by the constraints of laboratory testing, focused on individual chemicals and dependent upon testing methods that are in large part outdated. But we continue to produce, rely upon and release chemicals into the world, many with subtle and unforeseen consequences.

Monosson suggests that by embracing life’s long evolutionary history with chemicals we may better understand our current chemical predicament. Evolution in a Toxic World is not only an accessible and engaging introduction to toxicology, but also a pioneering new take on the field, informed by the past and ready to guide our present choices.

Emily Monosson is an environmental toxicologist, writer, and consultant. She is an adjunct professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Associate Editor of the Encyclopedia of Earth, and the editor of Motherhood, the Elephant in the Laboratory: Women Scientists Speak Out.