Strange New Species

Strange New Species
Author: Elin Kelsey
Publisher: Maple Tree
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2005
Genre: Biology
ISBN: 9781897066324

A look at the new species of animals and plant that scientists discovered around the world, including a monkey the size of a finger, a whale nobody has ever seen, and many more.

Strange Natures

Strange Natures
Author: Kent H. Redford
Publisher: Yale University Press
Total Pages: 296
Release: 2021-06-22
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 0300230974

A groundbreaking examination of the implications of synthetic biology for biodiversity conservation Nature almost everywhere survives on human terms. The distinction between what is natural and what is human-made, which has informed conservation for centuries, has become blurred. When scientists can reshape genes more or less at will, what does it mean to conserve nature? The tools of synthetic biology are changing the way we answer that question. Gene editing technology is already transforming the agriculture and biotechnology industries. What happens if synthetic biology is also used in conservation to control invasive species, fight wildlife disease, or even bring extinct species back from the dead? Conservation scientist Kent Redford and geographer Bill Adams turn to synthetic biology, ecological restoration, political ecology, and de-extinction studies and propose a thoroughly innovative vision for protecting nature.

Strange Sea Creatures

Strange Sea Creatures
Author: Erich Hoyt
Publisher: Firefly Books
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2024-03
Genre:
ISBN: 9780228104674

"A young wunderpus octopus, staring you right in the eye, is the perfect choice for the opening spread of Eric Hoyt's latest book celebrating the oceans' wonders... Page after page, we see the surprising shapes, colors and intricate details of secretive animals -- many in their juvenile forms -- that dash to the surface on nocturnal forays. Hoyt's curated collection of images from various underwater photographers continues into the deep twilight zone and onto the seabed, showcasing the mesmerizing range of life far beneath the waves." --BBC Wildlife Magazine Marine researchers are discovering new ocean creatures every day, from the warm surface water to the deepest seabed. From the author of Creatures of the Deep and other books about the ocean and the creatures that live there, comes this updated softcover edition about some of the most unusual marine life forms. The book organizes the creatures into three parts based on where they live in the ocean. Informative captions accompany the 90 gorgeous photographs of otherworldly creatures. Part 1. Surface Waters of the Ocean at Night: The Blackwater Vertical Migrators In images taken by dedicated blackwater photographers Linda Ianniello and Susan Mears, these mostly larval creatures haunt the near-surface waters making vertical migrations every night to feed. Part 2. Middle to Deep Dark Waters: Masters of the Language of Light In this perpetual night, survival is a matter of being able to understand and process light signals, some in different colors, some flashing, some faint -- the most sophisticated use of bioluminescence on Earth. The sea creatures here are small with big eyes and even larger mouths with extraordinarily sharp teeth. Part 3. The Continental Shelf to the Abyssal Plain: The Bottom Dwellers This bottom of the sea has fewer fish, and is populated by such alien-like creatures as no-eyed or tripod fish, sea cucumbers, as well as basket stars, crabs, and worms with species varying by depth and location. The photographs were taken in the ocean by expert divers and submariners, most of whom are both scientists and underwater photographers. The images display the creatures vividly against a background as black as the ocean depths.

Charles Darwin’s Barnacle and David Bowie’s Spider

Charles Darwin’s Barnacle and David Bowie’s Spider
Author: Stephen B. Heard
Publisher: Yale University Press
Total Pages: 256
Release: 2020-03-17
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0300252692

An engaging history of the surprising, poignant, and occasionally scandalous stories behind scientific names and their cultural significance Ever since Carl Linnaeus’s binomial system of scientific names was adopted in the eighteenth century, scientists have been eponymously naming organisms in ways that both honor and vilify their namesakes. This charming, informative, and accessible history examines the fascinating stories behind taxonomic nomenclature, from Linnaeus himself naming a small and unpleasant weed after a rival botanist to the recent influx of scientific names based on pop-culture icons—including David Bowie’s spider, Frank Zappa’s jellyfish, and Beyoncé’s fly. Exploring the naming process as an opportunity for scientists to express themselves in creative ways, Stephen B. Heard’s fresh approach shows how scientific names function as a window into both the passions and foibles of the scientific community and as a more general indicator of the ways in which humans relate to, and impose order on, the natural world.

A New Human

A New Human
Author: Mike Morwood
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 316
Release: 2016-12-05
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1315435632

In the most revolutionary archaeological find of the new century, an international team of archaeologists led by Mike Morwood discovered a new, diminutive species of human on the remote Indonesian island of Flores. Nicknamed the “Hobbit,” this was no creation of Tolkien's fantasy. The three foot tall skeleton with a brain the size of a chimpanzee’s was a tool-using, fire-making, cooperatively hunting person who inhabited Flores alongside modern humans as recently as 13,000 years ago. This book is Morwood’s description of this monumental discovery and the intense study that has been undertaken to validate his view of its relationship to our species. He chronicles the bitter debates over Homo Floresiensis, the objections (some spiteful) of colleagues, the theft and damage of some of the specimens, and the endless battle against government and academic bureaucracies that hindered his research. This updated paperback edition contains an epilogue that reports on the most recent debates, findings, and analyses of this amazing discovery.

Unusual Creatures

Unusual Creatures
Author: Michael Hearst
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Total Pages: 111
Release: 2012-09-26
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 1452104670

"Introduces the reader to a wealth of extraordinary life forms"-- P. [4] of cover.

The Book of Strange New Things

The Book of Strange New Things
Author: Michel Faber
Publisher: Hogarth
Total Pages: 466
Release: 2014-10-28
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0553418858

A monumental, genre-defying novel that David Mitchell calls "Michel Faber’s second masterpiece," The Book of Strange New Things is a masterwork from a writer in full command of his many talents. It begins with Peter, a devoted man of faith, as he is called to the mission of a lifetime, one that takes him galaxies away from his wife, Bea. Peter becomes immersed in the mysteries of an astonishing new environment, overseen by an enigmatic corporation known only as USIC. His work introduces him to a seemingly friendly native population struggling with a dangerous illness and hungry for Peter’s teachings—his Bible is their “book of strange new things.” But Peter is rattled when Bea’s letters from home become increasingly desperate: typhoons and earthquakes are devastating whole countries, and governments are crumbling. Bea’s faith, once the guiding light of their lives, begins to falter. Suddenly, a separation measured by an otherworldly distance, and defined both by one newly discovered world and another in a state of collapse, is threatened by an ever-widening gulf that is much less quantifiable. While Peter is reconciling the needs of his congregation with the desires of his strange employer, Bea is struggling for survival. Their trials lay bare a profound meditation on faith, love tested beyond endurance, and our responsibility to those closest to us. Marked by the same bravura storytelling and precise language that made The Crimson Petal and the White such an international success, The Book of Strange New Things is extraordinary, mesmerizing, and replete with emotional complexity and genuine pathos.

Stuff They Don't Want You to Know

Stuff They Don't Want You to Know
Author: Ben Bowlin
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Total Pages: 311
Release: 2022-10-11
Genre: Reference
ISBN: 1250268575

“Interesting...Bowlin's calmly rational approach to the subject of conspiracy theories shows the importance of logic and evidence.”—Booklist "A page-turning book to give to someone who believes in pizza pedophilia or that the Illuminati rule the world."—Kirkus Reviews The co-hosts of the hit podcast Stuff They Don’t Want You to Know, Ben Bowlin, Matthew Frederick, & Noel Brown, discern conspiracy fact from fiction in this sharp, humorous, compulsively readable, and gorgeously illustrated book. In times of chaos and uncertainty, when trust is low and economic disparity is high, when political institutions are crumbling and cultural animosities are building, conspiracy theories find fertile ground. Many are wild, most are untrue, a few are hard to ignore, but all of them share one vital trait: there’s a seed of truth at their center. That seed carries the sordid, conspiracy-riddled history of our institutions and corporations woven into its DNA. Ben Bowlin, Matt Frederick, and Noel Brown host the popular iHeart Media podcast, Stuff They Don’t Want You To Know. They are experts at exploring, explaining, and interrogating today’s emergent conspiracies—from chem trails and biological testing to the secrets of lobbying and the indisputable evidence of UFOs. Written in a smart, witty, and conversational style, elevated with amazing illustrations, Stuff They Don’t Want You to Know is a vital book in understanding the nature of conspiracy and using truth as a powerful weapon against ignorance, misinformation, and lies.