Ten years ago, biochemist Michael Behe helped to launch the modern intelligent design movement. when he outlined the theory of irreducible complexity in his book Darwin’s Black Box: The Biochemical Challenge to Evolution, which dared to question the basic tenets of Darwinism. Simon & Schuster have now published an updated version of Behe’s seminal work with a new afterword by the author reflecting the current debate, which has been substantially buttressed by new scientific research and exposition.

Arguing that unintelligent accounts failed to explain the development of irreducibly complex systems such as blood clotting, the human immune system and the bacterial flagellum, Darwin’s Black Box was internationally reviewed in over one hundred publications and named one of the 100 most important books of the 20th century by National Review and World magazines. There are now a quarter million copies in print.

“While Behe is best known for his irreducible complexity hypothesis, I admire him more for his willingness to take a public stand for academic freedom in the face of withering attacks on his person and his record,” said Forrest M. Mims, III., chair of the Texas Academy of Sciences Environmental Science Section. “Open-minded readers will soon learn that Behe raises questions that his opponents have yet to adequately answer.”

Behe’s argument entered the mainstream with Cambridge University’s 2004 publication of “Debating Design: From Darwin to DNA“, which had prominent scientists present their views of intelligent design based on Behe’s arguments from Darwin’s Black Box.