According to the author, the 'ten great inventions' are the origin of life, DNA, photosynthesis, the complex cell, sex, movement, sight, hot blood, consciousness and death Anyone with a desire to look up scientific papers on the topics covered has a good start here

The first chapter discusses various past ideas about the origins of life, and champions a current idea linked with 'alkaline vents' on the sea floor (vaguely akin to black smokers, but rather tamer). This idea involves both the chemistry of the waters coming out of such vents, and their physical structure, and is a theory that I had not come across before. (Not that I am an expert in the field, but I might have remembered an article in New Scientist!). The following chapters give 'the old ideas' where relevant, and the book only really turns speculative in the chapter on consciousness.

There is an extensive bibliography – both of general science books, and a detailed chapter by chapter list of primary sources used by the author. Anyone with a desire to look up scientific papers on the topics covered has a good start here.