The Red Queen (novel)

*The Red Queen* by Matt Ridley is a scientific exploration of evolution and the concept that organisms continually adapt in an ongoing "arms race" to survive and reproduce. The title refers to the idea from Lewis Carroll’s *Through the Looking-Glass*—saying you must run faster just to stay in the same place. Ridley explains how evolutionary change is driven by competition, co-evolution, and sexual selection, highlighting the dynamic, never-ending process that shapes the diversity of life. The book makes complex biological ideas accessible, illustrating how the struggle for survival fuels ongoing adaptation in nature.