From tales of vegetarian piranha fish and voiceless dogs to the scientific search for the genes that threaten to destroy the cheetah, Quammen captures the natural world with precision. A distinguished natural science essayist, Quammen’s reporting is masterful and thought provoking and his curiosity and fascination with the world of living things is infectious.

    From the first time mankind had an inkling of the vast space that surrounds us, those who study the universe have had to struggle against political and religious preconceptions. They have included some of the most charismatic, courageous, and idiosyncratic thinkers of all time. In Coming of Age in the Milky Way, Timothy Ferris uses his unique blend of rigorous research and captivating narrative skill to draw us into the lives and minds of these extraordinary figures, creating a landmark work of scientific history.

    Based on a major conference sponsored by the National Academy of Sciences and the Smithsonian Institution, Biodiversity creates a systematic framework for analyzing the problem and searching for possible solutions.

    Increased emphasis on gene activity, signal transduction and the emphasis on the roles of paracrine factors in development.

    This guide shows how to recognize hawks the way we recognize friends at a distance: by body shape, movements, and locale.

    Creatures that fear little, bears compete for survival with the only other animals that can threaten their existence: Humans. Bear Attacks is a thorough and unflinching study of attacks made on humans. This is the sometimes horrific, yet always instructive, story of Bear and Human, written by the leading scientific authority in the field. This book is for everyone who camps, hikes, or visits bear country -and for anyone who wants to learn more about these fearsome but always fascinating wild creatures.

    Whether he's rambling through the Minnesota Blue Mounds, spying on migrating cranes in the Nebraska sandhills, lumbering along the Oregon Trail in an old-fashioned wagon train, contemplating the "unearthly spires" of the Dakota Badlands, clambering up Wyoming's Big Horn Mountains, or getting lost in Montana's Beartooth range, Gruchow is an ideal companion, a writer who makes the quirks and curiosities of the natural world come alive.

    

    Covers fish, amphibians, reptiles, dinosaurs, birds, mammals, and extinct creatures.

    It captivates and engages those who may not even be prone to read books.

    This thoroughly revised edition begins with an up-to-date account of the geological formation and shaping of the Islands, their colonization by plants and animals, and the patterns of ecology and evolution that unfolded in nurturing seas and on breath-taking landscapes.This book tells the story of human interaction with Hawai'i's native landscapes and rich biological heritage. The author's accessible language allows readers to grasp basic geological and biological principles and to understand the perhaps surprising vulnerability of Hawaiian ecosystems--which have coevolved with volcanoes--to human impact. Islands in a Far Sea includes many well-documented historical examples of such impacts, featuring growth and greed, fears and foibles as humans confronted endemic nature in Hawai'i. Citing a large array of sources, the author makes it possible for interested readers to probe more deeply the changes in natural systems that have ensued on all of the Hawaiian Islands. To date the result has been the tragic reduction of a unique and benign biota. However, the book holds out hope that current efforts to protect what is left of Hawai'i's flora and fauna in their remaining wild settings may yet succeed.

    Now arranged geographically and even more user-friendly, it features 124 hikes.

    They live on every continent except Antarctica, ranging from deserts to tropical forests to mountains, and their activities have a profound effect on the ecosystems in which they live. Despite their ubiquity and importance, bats are challenging to study. This volume provides researchers, conservationists, and consultants with the ecological background and specific information essential for studying bats in the wild and in captivity. Chapters detail many of the newest and most commonly used field and laboratory techniques needed to advance the study of bats, describe how these methods are applied to the study of the ecology and behavior of bats, and offer advice on how to interpret the results of research. The book includes forty-three chapters, fourteen of which are new to the second edition, with information on molecular ecology and evolution, bioacoustics, chemical communication, flight dynamics, population models, and methods for assessing postnatal growth and development.Fully illustrated and featuring contributions from the world’s leading experts in bat biology, this reference contains everything bat researchers and natural resource managers need to know for the study and conservation of this wide-ranging, ecologically vital, and diverse taxon.

    Will he speak soft words unto thee?' Job 41 Whale Nation is a hymn to the beauty, intelligence and majesty of the largest mammal on earth. A 'green classic' read with natural resonance by its author, it rarely fails to strike a chord in the heart of those concerned with the abuse of our planet. It is joined by additional content devoted to a fascinating account of whale history.Music: Mendelssohn, Holst, Bach, Mozart, Brahms, Debussy, Ciurlionis, The Song of the Humpback Whale

    It helps us experience our place in the web of life, rather than on the apex of some human-centred pyramid. An important deep ecology educational tool for both groups and personal reflection.

    Young readers will be fascinated to find out what flower can be used to make a doll, which flower flavors tea, and which flower farmers feed to chickens.Author Jerry Pallotta and illustrator Leslie Evans have collaborated to produce a stunning bouquet of words and pictures about the world of flowers–one of nature's most beautiful gifts.

    Badgley, M.D Author of Healing AIDS Naturally Investigative reporter Jon Rappoport uncovers the shocking truth about AIDS: Thousands are dying needlessly as the medical world and media pull off the biggest scandal of our time - all for the love of power and money. AIDS INC: takes you on a sizzling behind-the-scenes tour of laboratories, newsrooms and even the White House to expose the real killers behind the disease. It's the most explosive, myth-shattering book you'll read this year. Book Size: 216x140

    Full of informative drawings and photos, "fast facts" boxes, and glossary of terms.