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A Lullaby of Summer Things
by Natalie ZiarnikIn the spirit of such bedtime favorites as Emily Winfield Martin's Day Dreamers, here is a quintessential end-of-day by the beach lovingly captured and perfect for reading aloud. This simple, lyrical picture book is as warm, reassuring, and filled with joy as a vacation at the beach. <p><p>Readers will join a little girl and her siblings as they wind down from a perfect day—hanging up towels, eating dinner, and getting ready for bed—each activity sparking a memory of their day—playing catch with the dog, chasing waves, and looking at sailboats along the shore. And when the lights of the family beach house go off—"In the dusky evening light, a sleepy house says goodnight"—young listeners will be lulled to sleep themselves.
A Magic Web
by Christian Ziegler Egbert Giles LeighThe tropical forest of Panama's Barro Colorado Island is a luxuriant community of plants and animals, pulsating with life and offering an astonishing view of nature's myriad processes. What does the forest look like? How do the activities of the forest's plants and animals create a community?In A Magic Web, photographer Christian Ziegler and evolutionary biologist Egbert Giles Leigh, Jr., invite readers to enter the marvelous world of Barro Colorado Island. This book is a unique combination of spectacular photography and clear, authoritative text written by an active scientist who has spent half a lifetime trying to understand the tropical forest. Luscious photographs of the forest reveal the wonderful diversity of its inhabitants and show many of the activities that give it its character and lend structure to its community. Drawing on decades of work on Barro Colorado Island, Egbert Leigh explains how the forest works: how plants and animals compete with but also depend on each other; how the solitary lives of cats contrast with the intricately organized lives of armies of ants; the variety of ways plants struggle for a place in the sun; and how these plants attract animals to pollenate their flowers. Finally, the book shows the importance of tropical forests to the people living near them, why they matter to the world at large, what we can learn from them, and how they differ from temperate-zone forests.Full of stunning full-color photographs accompanied by clear and accessible text, A Magic Web is a must for anyone planning to visit a tropical forest and for all those who wish they could.
A Maldição da Noz-Moscada: Parábolas para um Planeta em Crise
by AMITAV GHOSHUm livro polémico, uma crítica à cosmovisão do Ocidente por um dos mais conceituados romancistas da atualidade. Decorria o ano de 1621. A simples queda de um objeto, uma candeia, é o pretexto para o comandante das tropas holandesas aquarteladas numa das ilhas Banda, no território das Molucas, dar início ao massacre de toda a população local. Poucos habitantes sobreviveriam, e a sua língua e cultura perder-se-iam para sempre. A eliminação do povo Banda é um dos grandes genocídios esquecidos pela História. O motivo: o controlo por parte da Venerável Companhia das Índias Orientais do rentável comércio milenar da noz-moscada, uma especiaria muito apreciada na Europa pelos seus usos culinários e medicinais, de preço exorbitante, e cuja inteira produção mundial estava circunscrita até então a esse pequeno arquipélago do Índico. Em pleno século XXI, Amitav Ghosh, com mão de romancista, traz à luz este episódio negro, que serve de ponto de partida para relacionar o passado com o presente, o colonialismo com a atual crise climática, e explicar o mundo em que vivemos: da crise dos refugiados ao movimento Black Lives Matter, às cidades modernas ou mesmo às naturezas-mortas do período áureo da pintura holandesa. «Não deixem de ler este livro.» Naomi Klein «Urgente, maravilhoso e ambicioso… um livro de leitura obrigatória.» Times Literary Supplement «Ghosh recorre à literatura de viagens, à narrativa pessoal, à análise histórica e àsíntese de um vasto conhecimento académico para contar a história do nosso império ocidental e do extermínio do nosso mundo.» Los Angeles Review of Books «A Maldição da Noz-Moscada é, ao mesmo tempo, uma biografia não autorizada desta especiaria e um apelo a novas políticas que respeitem a ação ou “vitalidade” dos seres não humanos que nos rodeiam.»The White Review «Esclarecedor... Ghosh faz-nos pensar nas estruturas globais de poder que envolvem a subjugação física de povos e de territórios e, sobretudo, na ideia de conquista como um processo de extração.» The New Yorker«Um feito notável e um título atual, A Maldição da Noz-Moscada recorda-nos a razão pela qual a terra está a chorar.» Booklist «Ghosh escreveu uma obra que atinge o nosso cérebro e o nosso coração com uma clareza moral e analítica inesquecível.» Bloomberg
A Man Apart: Bill Coperthwaite's Radical Experiment in Living
by Peter Forbes Helen WhybrowA story of friendship, encouragement, and the quest to design a better worldA Man Apart is the story—part family memoir and part biography—of Peter Forbes and Helen Whybrow&’s longtime friendship with Bill Coperthwaite (A Handmade Life), whose unusual life and fierce ideals helped them examine and understand their own.Coperthwaite inspired many by living close to nature and in opposition to contemporary society, and was often compared to Henry David Thoreau. Much like Helen and Scott Nearing, who were his friends and mentors, Coperthwaite led a 55-year-long &“experiment in living&” on a remote stretch of Maine coast. There he created a homestead of wooden, multistoried yurts, a form of architecture for which he was known around the world.Coperthwaite also embodied a philosophy that he called &“democratic living,&” which was about empowering all people to have agency over their lives in order to create a better community. The central question of Coperthwaite&’s life was, &“How can I live according to what I believe?&”In this intimate and honest account—framed by Coperthwaite&’s sudden death and brought alive through the month-long adventure of building with him what would turn out to be his last yurt—Forbes and Whybrow explore the timeless lessons of Coperthwaite&’s experiment in intentional living and self-reliance. They also reveal an important story about the power and complexities of mentorship: the opening of one&’s life to someone else to learn together, and carrying on in that person&’s physical absence.While mourning Coperthwaite&’s death and coming to understand the real meaning of his life and how it endures through their own, Forbes and Whybrow craft a story that reveals why it&’s important to seek direct experience, to be drawn to beauty and simplicity, to create rather than critique, and to encourage others.
A Man of the World: My Life at National Geographic
by Gilbert M GrosvenorThe captivating inside story of the man who helmed National Geographic over the course of six decades is a front-row seat to iconic feats of exploration, from the successful hunt for the Titanic to Jane Goodall's field studies, offering a rare portrait of one of the most iconic media empires in history and making an impassioned argument for our enduring need to know and care for our world.Though his career path had been paved by four generations of his family before him, Gilbert M. Grosvenor left his own mark on the National Geographic Society, founded in 1888 and recognised the world over by its ubiquitous yellow border. In an unflinchingly honest memoir as big as the world and all that is in it, Grosvenor shows us what it was like to "grow up Geographic" in a family home where explorers like Robert Peary, Louis Leakey, and Jane Goodall regularly crossed the threshold. As staff photographer, editor in chief and then president of the organisation, Grosvenor oversaw the diversification into television, film, books, as well as its flagship magazine, which under his tenure reached a peak circulation of nearly 11 million. He also narrates the shift from a nonprofit, family-focused enterprise to the more corporate, bottom-line focused world of publishing today.For Grosvenor, running National Geographic wasn&’t just a job. It was a legacy, motivated by a passion not just to leave the world a better place, but to motivate others to do so, too. Filled with world travel, charismatic explorers, and the complexities of running a publishing empire, A MAN OF THE WORLD is the story of one man, a singular family business, and the changing face of American media.
A Manual of the Mammalia: An Homage to Lawlor’s “Handbook to the Orders and Families of Living Mammals”
by Douglas A. Kelt James L. PattonThe taxonomy of recent mammals has lately undergone tremendous revision, but it has been decades since the last update to Timothy E. Lawlor’s acclaimed identification guide the Handbook to the Orders and Families of Living Mammals. Integrating the latest advances in research, Douglas A. Kelt and James L. Patton provide this long-overdue update in their new, wholly original work, A Manual of the Mammalia. Complemented by global range maps, high-resolution photographs of skulls and mandibles by Bill Stone, and the outstanding artwork of Fiona Reid, this book provides an overview of biological attributes of each higher taxon while highlighting key and diagnostic characters needed to identify skulls and skins of all recent mammalian orders and most families. Kelt and Patton also place taxa in their currently understood supra-familial clades, and discuss current challenges in higher mammal taxonomy. Including a comprehensive review of mammalian anatomy to provide a foundation for understanding all characters employed throughout, A Manual of the Mammalia is both a user-friendly handbook for students learning to identify higher mammal taxa and a uniquely comprehensive, up-to-date reference for mammalogists and mammal-lovers from across the globe.
A Master of Fortune: Being Further Adventures of Captain Kettle
by Charles John HyneNobody who has followed the gallant sailor--diminutive, but oh, my!--in his previous adventures around the earth, is going to miss this red-hot volume of marvelous exploits.
A Master's Guide to Building a Bamboo Fly Rod: The Essential and Classic Principles and Methods
by Hoagy B. Carmichael Everett E. GarrisonLearn the science and art of creating a one-of-a-kind bamboo fly rod.Fly fishing has a long and storied history. While many flyfishermen will find and purchase their favorite fly rod, there are those who desire to go a step further. For those discerning flyfishermen and women, simply buying a rod is not enough-they must build one. And just as fly fishing is an art, so is the creation of the bamboo fly rod.Many people believe that the best-feeling rods, particularly for trout fishing, are made from bamboo, and today’s bamboo rod-making tradition is particularly indebted to one man: Everett E. Garrison. Using principles he learned as an engineering student, Garrison created an exacting method of building rod-a method that for decades was a well-kept secret.These techniques are presented to the reader in A Master’s Guide to Building a Bamboo Fly Rod, a classic volume written by Hoagy B. Carmichael to honor and maintain Garrison’s legacy. Completely illustrated with black-and-white drawings and over three hundred and sixty black-and-white photographs, along with copious notes on the mathematical and engineering principles that underlie Garrison’s unique rod-making technique, this book will guide you through each step of creating a classic bamboo fly rod.Skyhorse Publishing is proud to publish a broad range of books for fishermen. Our books for anglers include titles that focus on fly fishing, bait fishing, fly-casting, spin casting, deep sea fishing, and surf fishing. Our books offer both practical advice on tackle, techniques, knots, and more, as well as lyrical prose on fishing for bass, trout, salmon, crappie, baitfish, catfish, and more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
A Mathematical Nature Walk
by John A. AdamHow heavy is that cloud? Why can you see farther in rain than in fog? Why are the droplets on that spider web spaced apart so evenly? If you have ever asked questions like these while outdoors, and wondered how you might figure out the answers, this is a book for you. An entertaining and informative collection of fascinating puzzles from the natural world around us, A Mathematical Nature Walk will delight anyone who loves nature or math or both. John Adam presents ninety-six questions about many common natural phenomena--and a few uncommon ones--and then shows how to answer them using mostly basic mathematics. Can you weigh a pumpkin just by carefully looking at it? Why can you see farther in rain than in fog? What causes the variations in the colors of butterfly wings, bird feathers, and oil slicks? And why are large haystacks prone to spontaneous combustion? These are just a few of the questions you'll find inside. Many of the problems are illustrated with photos and drawings, and the book also has answers, a glossary of terms, and a list of some of the patterns found in nature. About a quarter of the questions can be answered with arithmetic, and many of the rest require only precalculus. But regardless of math background, readers will learn from the informal descriptions of the problems and gain a new appreciation of the beauty of nature and the mathematics that lies behind it.
A Measured Life: The Times and Places of an Orphaned Intellectual
by Richard HoggartRichard Hoggart's book, The Uses of Literacy, established his reputation as a uniquely sensitive and observant chronicler of English working-class life. This pioneering work, first published in 1957, examines changes in the life and values of the English working class in response to mass media. It maps out a new methodology in cultural studies based around interdisciplinary and a concern with how textsin this case, mass publicationsare stitched into the patterns of lived experience. Mixing personal memoir with social history and cultural critique. The Uses of Literacy anticipates recent interest in modes of cultural analysts that refuse to hide the author behind the mask of objective social scientific technique. In its method and in its rich accumulation of the detail of working-class life, this volume remains useful and absorbing.
A Million Years with You
by Elizabeth Marshall ThomasOne of our greatest literary naturalists turns her famed observational eye on herself in this captivating memoir. How is it that an untrained, self-taught observer and writer could see things that professional anthropologists often missed? How is that a pioneering woman, working in male-dominated fields, without sponsors or credentials, could accomplish more than so many more celebrated and professionally educated men could manage? How can we all unlock the wisdom of the world simply by paying close attention? With their intelligence and acute insight into other cultures and species, Elizabeth Marshall Thomas's many books have won a wide and loving audience. In A Million Years with You, this legendary author shares stories from her life, showing how a formative experience in South West Africa (now Namibia) in the 1950s taught her how to pay attention to the ancient wisdom of animals and humankind. As a young woman, Marshall Thomas joined her family on an anthropological expedition to the Kalahari Desert, where she conducted fieldwork among the Ju/wa Bushmen, later publishing her findings as The Harmless People. After college, a wedding, and the birth of two children, she returned to Uganda shortly before Idi Amin's bloody coup. Her skills as an observer and a writer would be put to the test on many other occasions working with dogs, cats, cougars, deer--and with more personal struggles. A Million Years with You is a powerful memoir from a pioneering woman, an icon of American letters.
A Mobile Century?: Changes in Everyday Mobility in Britain in the Twentieth Century (Transport and Mobility)
by Colin G. Pooley Jean Turnbull Mags AdamsFor most people in the developed world, the ability to travel freely on a daily basis is almost taken for granted. Although there is a large volume of literature on contemporary mobility and associated transport problems, there are no comprehensive studies of the ways in which these trends have changed over time. This book provides a detailed empirical analysis of mobility change in Britain over the twentieth century. Beginning with an explanatory theoretical overview, setting the UK case studies within an international context, the book then analyses changes in the journey to school, the journey to work, and travelling for pleasure. It also looks at the ways in which changes in mobility have interacted with changes in the family life cycle and assesses the impact of new transport technologies on everyday mobility. It concludes by examining the implications of past mobility change for contemporary transport policy.
A Modern Herbal
by Alys FowlerTHE BEST GARDENING BOOKS OF THE YEAR - GARDENS ILLUSTRATED'Informative and enthusiastic' i PaperPLANT-BASED MEDICINE FOR A CALMER, HEALTHIER LIFE It's easy to turn to the pharmacy when we're stressed, sick or feeling under the weather, but what if you turned to your garden instead?In this accessible and easy to use manual, horticultural expert, former Gardener's World presenter and Guardian columnist, Alys Fowler, shows how to take control of your health by adopting a more natural lifestyle. For thousands of years, people who had no access to clinical medicine knew how to boost their well-being by using the ingredients they found in plants. Herbs are the people's medicine; often freely available and abundant, they are ready and waiting to be plucked from around you to soothe and heal your body and mind. With guides for how to use and grow over 100 herbs - for example how to use fennel for indigestion, camomile for anxiety and nettle for hayfever - you'll soon be heading into the garden, rather than opening the medicine cabinet. Offering a fusion of botanical, practical, cultural and historical information, A Modern Herbal reveals how common herbs are the simple, cleansing way to better health and happiness.AS SEEN IN THE GUARDIAN'An important and accessible herbal for the 21st century . . . For anyone delving into herbs for the first time or those who want to broaden their herbal repertoire in the garden and home, this book is much needed' Gardens Illustrated
A Modern Herbal
by Margaret GrieveIf you want to know how pleurisy root, lungwort, and abscess root got their names, how poison ivy used to treat rheumatism, or how garlic guarded against the Bubonic Plague, consult A Modern Herbal. This 20th-century version of the medieval Herbal is as rich in scientific fact and folklore as its predecessors and is equally encyclopedic in coverage. From aconite to zedoary, not an herb, grass, fungus, shrub or tree is overlooked; and strange and wonderful discoveries about even the most common of plants await the reader.Traditionally, an herbal combined the folk beliefs and tales about plants, the medicinal properties (and parts used) of the herbs, and their botanical classification. But Mrs. Grieve has extended and enlarged the tradition; her coverage of asafetida, bearberry, broom, chamomile, chickweed, dandelion, dock, elecampane, almond, eyebright, fenugreek, moss, fern, figwort, gentian, Hart's tongue, indigo, acacia, jaborandi, kava kava, lavender, pimpernel, rhubarb, squill, sage, thyme, sarsaparilla, unicorn root, valerian, woundwort, yew, etc. — more than 800 varieties in all — includes in addition methods of cultivation; the chemical constituents, dosages, and preparations of extracts and tinctures, unknown to earlier herbalists; possible economic and cosmetic properties, and detailed illustrations, from root to bud, of 161 plants.Of the many exceptional plants covered in Herbal, perhaps the most fascinating are the poisonous varieties — hemlock, poison oak, aconite, etc. — whose poisons, in certain cases, serve medical purposes and whose antidotes (if known) are given in detail. And of the many unique features, perhaps the most interesting are the hundreds of recipes and instructions for making ointments, lotions, sauces, wines, and fruit brandies like bilberry and carrot jam, elderberry and mint vinegar, sagina sauce, and cucumber lotion for sunburn; and the hundreds of prescriptions for tonics and liniments for bronchitis, arthritis, dropsy, jaundice, nervous tension, skin disease, and other ailments. 96 plates, 161 illustrations.
A Modern Herbal: Vol. II
by Margaret GrieveIf you want to know how pleurisy root, lungwort, and abscess root got their names, how poison ivy used to treat rheumatism, or how garlic guarded against the Bubonic Plague, consult A Modern Herbal. This 20th-century version of the medieval Herbal is as rich in scientific fact and folklore as its predecessors and is equally encyclopedic in coverage. From aconite to zedoary, not an herb, grass, fungus, shrub or tree is overlooked; and strange and wonderful discoveries about even the most common of plants await the reader.Traditionally, an herbal combined the folk beliefs and tales about plants, the medicinal properties (and parts used) of the herbs, and their botanical classification. But Mrs. Grieve has extended and enlarged the tradition; her coverage of asafetida, bearberry, broom, chamomile, chickweed, dandelion, dock, elecampane, almond, eyebright, fenugreek, moss, fern, figwort, gentian, Hart's tongue, indigo, acacia, jaborandi, kava kava, lavender, pimpernel, rhubarb, squill, sage, thyme, sarsaparilla, unicorn root, valerian, woundwort, yew, etc. — more than 800 varieties in all — includes in addition methods of cultivation; the chemical constituents, dosages, and preparations of extracts and tinctures, unknown to earlier herbalists; possible economic and cosmetic properties, and detailed illustrations, from root to bud, of 161 plants.Of the many exceptional plants covered in Herbal, perhaps the most fascinating are the poisonous varieties — hemlock, poison oak, aconite, etc. — whose poisons, in certain cases, serve medical purposes and whose antidotes (if known) are given in detail. And of the many unique features, perhaps the most interesting are the hundreds of recipes and instructions for making ointments, lotions, sauces, wines, and fruit brandies like bilberry and carrot jam, elderberry and mint vinegar, sagina sauce, and cucumber lotion for sunburn; and the hundreds of prescriptions for tonics and liniments for bronchitis, arthritis, dropsy, jaundice, nervous tension, skin disease, and other ailments. 96 plates, 161 illustrations.
A Modified Baseline Incineration Process For Mustard Projectiles At Pueblo Chemical Depot
by National Research CouncilThe National Academies Press (NAP)--publisher for the National Academies--publishes more than 200 books a year offering the most authoritative views, definitive information, and groundbreaking recommendations on a wide range of topics in science, engineering, and health. Our books are unique in that they are authored by the nation's leading experts in every scientific field.
A Mosaic of Indigenous Legal Thought: Legendary Tales and Other Writings
by C.F. BlackThis book offers an Indigenous supplement to the rich and growing area of visual legal scholarship. Organized around three narratives, each with an associated politico-poetic reading, the book addresses three major global issues: climate change, the trade in human body parts and bio-policing. Manifesting and engaging the traditional storytelling mode of classical Indigenous ontology, these narratives convey legal and political knowledge, not merely through logical argument, but rather through the feelings of law and the understanding of lawful behaviour produced by their rhythm. Through its own performativity, therefore, the book demonstrates how classical Indigenous legal traditions remain vital to the now pressing challenge of making peace with the earth.
A Most Improbable Story: The Evolution of the Universe, Life, and Humankind
by Steven J. TherouxThis book is a "Big History" of the evidence regarding how we came to be. It briefly explores philosophical thought and how our past might affect our future. The text summarizes different perspectives, including the strengths and weaknesses of each. The genesis of our planet is explored, especially the circumstances that must exist for complex life to arise. This brief journey highlights the history of life, the emergence of simple lifeforms, and the evolution of complex creatures, including humans. The book concludes with a discussion of why other humanoids went extinct while our species achieved dominance. The author speculates on potentialities awaiting humankind and our planet. The first "Big History" written from the perspective of a biologist Summarizes multiple perspectives of history Documents the unique conditions for the emergence of life Speculates on the future
A Most Remarkable Creature: The Hidden Life and Epic Journey of the World's Smartest Birds of Prey
by Jonathan Meiburg&“A fascinating, entertaining, and totally engrossing story.&”—David Sibley, author of What It's Like to Be a Bird &“Utterly captivating and beautifully written, this book is a hugely entertaining and enlightening exploration of a bird so wickedly smart, curious, and social, it boggles the mind.&”—Jennifer Ackerman, author of The Bird Way &“As curious, wide-ranging, gregarious, and intelligent as its subject.&”—Charles C. Mann, author of 1491 An enthralling account of a modern voyage of discovery as we meet the clever, social birds of prey called caracaras, which puzzled Darwin, fascinate modern-day falconers, and carry secrets of our planet's deep past in their family history.In 1833, Charles Darwin was astonished by an animal he met in the Falkland Islands: handsome, social, and oddly crow-like falcons that were "tame and inquisitive . . . quarrelsome and passionate," and so insatiably curious that they stole hats, compasses, and other valuables from the crew of the Beagle. Darwin wondered why these birds were confined to remote islands at the tip of South America, sensing a larger story, but he set this mystery aside and never returned to it. Almost two hundred years later, Jonathan Meiburg takes up this chase. He takes us through South America, from the fog-bound coasts of Tierra del Fuego to the tropical forests of Guyana, in search of these birds: striated caracaras, which still exist, though they're very rare. He reveals the wild, fascinating story of their history, origins, and possible futures. And along the way, he draws us into the life and work of William Henry Hudson, the Victorian writer and naturalist who championed caracaras as an unsung wonder of the natural world, and to falconry parks in the English countryside, where captive caracaras perform incredible feats of memory and problem-solving. A Most Remarkable Creature is a hybrid of science writing, travelogue, and biography, as generous and accessible as it is sophisticated, and absolutely riveting.
A Mountain Alphabet (ABC Our Country)
by Margriet RuursMountains are an impressive sight anywhere in the world but those of the western mountain region of North America offer riches that are truly unique. This lavishly illustrated picture book presents snowcapped peaks, emerald lakes, tall pines and magnificent maples, and a range of birds and animals that will fill readers of all ages with wonder.The treasures and mysteries of nature are depicted in twenty-six full-color paintings, each with a line of alliterative text. Objects that begin with that letter of the alphabet are waiting to be discovered in each illustration. Complete with detailed information about each setting painted, this is a visually and mentally stimulating experience – from A to Z.
A Mountain of a Problem (Shelby & Watts #2)
by Ashlyn AnsteeMystery-solving duo Shelby & Watts are back on the trail! They're saving the environment, one case at a time.Violet the bear has awoken early from her hibernation, but she doesn&’t know why. She&’s called on Shelby & Watts to solve the case before her son, Theodore, is roused from his hibernation, too. With Shelby&’s deductive skills and Watts&’s scientific know-how, they&’ll leave no stone unturned or question unanswered.In this follow-up to Tide Pool Troubles, our two environmental detectives uncover the larger issue underlying Violet's early start to spring: climate change. With accessible language and tips for what readers can do in the face of environmental change, this is a gentle introduction to one of today's most pressing issues.
A Nation of Parks (Into Reading, Level T #15)
by Kristin CashoreNIMAC-sourced textbook. Read all about the National Park Service and the parks under its care. Find out how many national parks there are, where they are, and what makes each of them special. Then you can plan which one you want to visit first!
A Natural History of Amphibians
by Robert C. Stebbins Nathan W. CohenThis is a book for all readers who want to learn about amphibians, the animal group that includes frogs, toads, salamanders, and caecilians. It draws on many years of classroom teaching, laboratory experience, and field observation by the authors. Robert Stebbins and Nathan Cohen lead readers on a fascinating odyssey as they explore some of nature's most interesting creatures, interspersing their own observations throughout the book. A Natural History of Amphibians can serve as a textbook for students and independent learners, as an overview of the field for professional scientists and land managers, and as an engaging introduction for general readers. The class Amphibia contains more than 4,500 known living species. New species are being discovered so rapidly that the number may grow to more than 5,000 during our lifetimes. However, their numbers are being rapidly decimated around the globe, largely due to the encroachment of humans on amphibian habitats and from growing human-caused environmental pollution, discussed at length in the final chapter. The authors focus our attention on the "natural history" of amphibians worldwide and emphasize their interactions with their environments over time: where they live; how they reproduce; how they have been affected by evolutionary processes; what factors will determine their destinies over time. Through the experienced eyes of the authors, who are skilled observers, we come to see and understand the place of amphibians in the natural world around us.
A Natural History of Beer
by Ian Tattersall Rob DeSalleA celebration of beer—its science, its history, and its impact on human culture What can beer teach us about biology, history, and the natural world? From ancient Mesopotamian fermentation practices to the resurgent American craft brewery, Rob DeSalle and Ian Tattersall peruse the historical record and traverse the globe for engaging and often surprising stories about beer. They explain how we came to drink beer, what ingredients combine to give beers their distinctive flavors, how beer’s chemistry works at the molecular level, and how various societies have regulated the production and consumption of beer. Drawing from such diverse subject areas as animal behavior, ecology, history, archaeology, chemistry, sociology, law, genetics, physiology, neurobiology, and more, DeSalle and Tattersall entertain and inform with their engaging stories of beer throughout human history and the science behind it all. Readers are invited to grab a beer and explore the fascinating history of its creation.
A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest (Corrie Herring Hooks Series)
by Samuel BridgewaterBelize’s Chiquibul Forest is one of the largest remaining expanses of tropical moist forest in Central America. It forms part of what is popularly known as the Maya Forest. Battered by hurricanes over millions of years, occupied by the Maya for thousands of years, and logged for hundreds of years, this ecosystem has demonstrated its remarkable ecological resilience through its continued existence into the twenty-first century. Despite its history of disturbance, or maybe in part because of it, the Maya Forest is ranked as an important regional biodiversity hot spot and provides some of the last regional habitats for endangered species such as the jaguar, the scarlet macaw, Baird’s tapir, and Morelet’s crocodile. A Natural History of Belize presents for the first time a detailed portrait of the habitats, biodiversity, and ecology of the Maya Forest, and Belize more broadly, in a format accessible to a popular audience. It is based in part on the research findings of scientists studying at Las Cuevas Research Station in the Chiquibul Forest. The book is unique in demystifying many of the big scientific debates related to rainforests. These include “Why are tropical forests so diverse?”; “How do flora and fauna evolve?”; and “How do species interact?” By focusing on the ecotourism paradise of Belize, this book illustrates how science has solved some of the riddles that once perplexed the likes of Charles Darwin, and also shows how it can assist us in managing our planet and forest resources wisely in the future.