* Book: Major Transitions in Evolution. by John Maynard Smith and Eörs Szathmáry. Oxford University Press, 1995

"may be the most important book on evolution since R.A. Fisher's". [1]

Description

Recommended alternative read for the broader public, as the above is meant for a scientific public:

Maynard Smith, John; Szathmáry, Eörs (2000). The origins of life : from the birth of life to the origin of language (1st ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press

Overview Transitions

From the Wikipedia:

Transitions "from ... to ..." :

Replicating molecules to: "Populations" of molecules in compartments" Can't observe
Independent replicators (probably RNA) to Chromosomes RNA world hypothesis
RNA as both genes and enzymes to: DNA as genes; proteins as enzymes
Prokaryotes to: Eukaryotes Can observe
Asexual clones to: Sexual populations Evolution of sex
Protists to: Multicellular organisms — animals, plants, fungi Evolution of multicellularity
Solitary individuals, to: Colonies with non-reproductive castes Evolution of eusociality
Primate societies, to: Human societies with language, enabling memes Sociocultural evolution

From the Wikipedia:

"Maynard Smith and Szathmáry identified several properties common to the transitions:

Smaller entities have often come about together to form larger entities. e.g. Chromosomes, eukaryotes, sex multicellular colonies.
Smaller entities often become differentiated as part of a larger entity. e.g. DNA & protein, organelles, anisogamy, tissues, castes
The smaller entities are often unable to replicate in the absence of the larger entity. e.g. DNA, chromosomes, Organelles, tissues, castes
The smaller entities can sometimes disrupt the development of the larger entity, e.g. Meiotic drive (selfish non-Mendelian genes), parthenogenesis, cancers, coup d’état
New ways of transmitting information have arisen, e.g. DNA-protein, cell heredity, epigenesis, universal grammar."